Turkey had the right to ground Syrian plane: Russian FM

ISTANBUL

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talks with journalists during a joint press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, 04 October 2012. Sergei Lavrov is on an official visit to Islamabad to discuss issues of mutal interest with Pakistani leadership. EPA/T. MUGHAL

Turkey was within its rights in grounding a Syrian plane en route from Moscow to Damascus on Oct. 10 in line with the Chicago Convention, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
 
Russia, however, would still like an official explanation of the reasons for the grounding of the plane, Lavrov added.
 
The civilian airplane was forced to land at Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport late on Oct. 10 on suspicions that the aircraft was transporting weapons in contravention of international civil aviation rules. Turkey allowed the aircraft to take off and continue on its route after seizing some of its cargo and grounding it for nine hours.