In Brussels, Nato officials say Russian jet entered Turkish airspace
before it was shot down. Earlier the US said the Russian incursion into
Turkish air space lasted just seconds. Nato ambassadors apparently
believe Turkey could have shown more restraint. This from Reuters.
Diplomats present at the meeting told Reuters that while none of the
28 Nato envoys defended Russia’s actions, many expressed concern that
Turkey did not escort the Russian warplane out of its airspace. “There
are other ways of dealing with these kinds of incidents,” said one
diplomat who declined to be named.
Hollande says strikes must be against Daesh and stresses the need to resolve the Syria
crisis, which is relevant not just to Syria’s neighbours but the wider
world as refugees leave the region. The French president stresses France
will not deploy ground troops as that is up to local forces. Obama says
the US is backing local forces with training and equipment as well as
launching air strikes. He says the Vienna process, which includes Iran
(also backers of Assad) for the first time, is the best option.
Obama: 'Turkey and Russia must talk and de-escalate'
On the downing of the Russian plane, Obama says it has the right to
defend its territory and its airspace, and stresses the importance of
Turkey and Russia working to de-escalate the situation. He says if Russia
concentrates on Isis there would be fewer chances of mistakes. “The
problem has been Russia’s focus on propping up Assad rather than
concentrating on Isil.”
ssad must go'
Hollande expresses his gratitude to the US, says Obama was the first
leader to call him after the Paris attacks. He says Isis has territory
and considerable resources and has hit several different countries,
including Russia. “We have decided to scale up our strikes against Isis
in Syria and Iraq,” says Hollande, who adds that the recent UN security
council resolution gives support to the coalition against Daesh, another
name for Isis. He says Assad has to go because he is responsible for
most of the deaths in Syria. On the refugee crisis, Hollande says a
solution has to be found with Turkey that allows refugees to stay close
to home. He says France can work with Russia if it concentrates on
hitting Isis. Hollande is due in Moscow on Thursday to see Vladimir
Putin, who is of course firmly behind Assad. This is one of the biggest
points of contention in the Vienna process.
Obama: 'we will win and groups like Isil will lose'
Obama again criticises Russia. He says Russian strikes against
moderate opposition only bolster Assad and Isis, which he refers to as
Isil. He reiterates the need to move away from Syrian president Assad in
the Vienna talks. “They can’t defeat us on the battlefield, we cannot
allow fear to divide us.” He says duties to security and to refugees go
hand in hand. Obama cites past threats, world wars, cold war when the
west prevailed. “It’ll be no different this time, we will win and groups
like Isil will lose.”
Updated
Obama: 'attack on Paris, an attack on world itself'
President Obama has just started a joint press conference with his
French counterpart Francois Hollande at the White House. Calling France
America’s oldest ally, he pays tribute to its culture and its joie de
vivre. He happy memories of being in Paris with Michelle, including them
kissing in the Jardin de Luxembourg. “Nous sommes tous Francais.” He
says the attacks in Paris as an assault on the world itself. He claims
that 8,000 airstrikes have pushed back Isis.
Reuters is reporting that a Tunisian military bus carrying
presidential guards has been hit by an explosion in central Tunis.
Tunisia has suffered a couple of devastating attacks recently, including
the massacre of tourists on a beach and the assault on the Bardo
museum. Six people are reported dead.
Updated
White House: 'Russian incursion into Turkish airspace lasted seconds'
Russia’s operation in Syria will continue despite the downing of a
Russian fighter jet by the Turkish air force, the Kremlin spokesman
Dmitry Peskov has said. Meanwhile, a US official has said that initial
indications are that the Russian incursion into Turkish airspace lasted a
matter of seconds.
Turkish official: 'Two Russian pilots still alive'
Despite earlier reports that the two pilots are dead, a Turkish official has told Reuters otherwise.
Turkey believes the two pilots from a Russian war plane it shot down
close to the Syrian border on Tuesday are still alive and is working to
secure their release from Syrian rebels, a Turkish government official
told Reuters. “Our units, who received the information that the two
pilots were alive, are working to get them from opposition rebels
safely,” the official said.
While EU president Donald Tusk appeals for calm, Russia and Turkey
might choose to up the ante. Analysts Ege Seckin and Firas Abi Ali from
IHS Country Risk consider the options for both.
In the medium term, Russia and Turkey both have escalation options
against one another. Russia can increase the price of Russian gas, while
Turkey can provide support to insurgents within Russian Caucasian
republics and in Crimea. Russia is also likely to retaliate indirectly
by increasing support for the Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party
(PYD) and its Turkey-based counterpart, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK).
No comments:
Post a Comment