Turkey requests meeting with Russia

Turkish Prime Minister strikes conciliatory tone after downing of Russian jet

By Don Melvin, Eliott C. McLaughlin, and Jethro Mullen, CNN

Updated 1006 GMT (1806 HKT) November 27, 2015 | Video Source: CNN

(CNN)As scary as the shooting down of a Russian warplane was -- especially by Turkey, a NATO member -- signs emerged Friday that some leaders involved are working to ease tensions between the two countries.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, often characterized as the friendly face of his government, published a conciliatory essay Friday in the Times of London.

Davutoglu said the shooting down by Turkey this week "was not -- and is not -- an act against a specific country."

Turkey requests meeting with Russia

"While the measures to defend our territory will remain in place, Turkey will work with Russia and our allies to calm tensions," Davutoglu wrote.

NATO's role in conflict between Turkey and Russia 02:01

If Turkey and Russia are at odds, the essay said, the winner will be the terrorist group ISIS, also known as Daesh.

"This is the time to stand firm against Daesh," Davotoglu said. "Collective action that harnesses the varying strengths of the US, the EU, Russia, Turkey and others can, and will, turn the tide."

And beyond that, the Kremlin said Friday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had requested a meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday on the sidelines of the climate change conference in Paris.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin "was informed of this request" but gave no word on whether it would be accepted.

Peskov also confirmed that Erdogan tried to reach Putin the day that the Russian warplane was shot down "probably 7-8 hours after the incident, not earlier."

Davutoglu's tone and Erdogan's request for a personal meeting stand in stark contrast to previous bellicosity displayed by Putin and Erdogan.

The two had engaged in days of chest-thumping rhetoric, with each demanding the other apologize. And Russia has started to implement de facto economic sanctions to punish Turkey.

Turkey will not apologize for downing the Russian fighter jet that Turkey says violated its airspace near the Syrian border, Erdogan said Thursday in an exclusive CNN interview.

"I think if there is a party that needs to apologize, it is not us," Erdogan said. "Those who violated our airspace are the ones who need to apologize. Our pilots and our armed forces, they simply fulfilled their duties, which consisted of responding to ... violations of the rules of engagement. I think this is the essence."

He went a step further in a meeting with community leaders in Ankara.

"If the same violation occurs today, Turkey has to react the same way," he said.

Why is Russia in Syria?01:58

Turkey has said it shot down the Russian warplane Tuesday only after it ignored several warnings and entered Turkish airspace.

Russia has contested the claim, and rescued co-pilot Capt. Konstantin Murakhtin told state media that "there were no warnings -- not via the radio, not visually." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said the downing of the Russian jet appeared to be "a planned provocation."

Opinion: How is this not WWIII?

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 775