Putin's scheduled Turkey visit postponed: spokesman

MOSCOW - Agence France-Presse

Russia's President Vladimir Putin. AFP photo

Russian President Vladimir Putin has postponed a scheduled visit to Turkey, his spokesman said Thursday, without specifying the reason for the delay or giving the original date for the trip.

"The visit has been postponed, the dates will be agreed upon," Dmitry Peskov told AFP. "The visit will take place," he added. According to Russian and Turkish media reports, the visit had been scheduled for October 15.
 
Peskov refused to provide the original dates for the visit.
 
Asked whether the trip has been postponed due to the Syrian conflict and tensions surrounding it, Peskov declined to comment.
 
Earlier Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry demanded that Turkey explain its interception of a Syrian plane flying from Moscow, saying that Ankara had put the lives passengers at risk by forcing it to land in the Turkish capital.
 
But initial reports of the visit's postponement had surfaced earlier this week, before Turkey intercepted the Syrian passenger plane.
 
Turkey on Wednesday stopped the Syria-bound passenger plane with 35 people on board, including 17 Russian nationals, reportedly on suspicion that its cargo contained weapons and ammunition.
 
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said some elements on board the plane were considered "objectionable." Asked about the plane incident, Peskov declined comment, adding that the Russian foreign ministry had already made a statement.