Turkey’s military council urges to keep channels of communications open with Russia

ANKARA

AA Photo

Turkey’s top government and military officials have said Ankara and Moscow should keep all diplomatic and military channels of communication open following Turkey’s downing of a Russian fighter jet.

“During a regular meeting of the Supreme Military Council [YAŞ], developments taking place on the border with Syria have been discussed. Within this context, it has been considered that taking measures which would prevent experience of new undesired situations between armed forces of the two countries would be appropriate by keeping diplomatic and military channels of communication with our neighbor the Russian Federation,” said a written statement released by the Turkish General Staff late Nov. 26 following the YAŞ meeting.

Turkey shot down the Russian Su-24 military jet on Nov. 24, insisting it had violated its airspace despite repeated warnings -- a claim Russia denies. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Nov. 25 that Moscow has cut all military contacts with Turkey.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu presided over the bi-annual YAŞ meeting where senior government and military officials review security threats and other military matters.

The board reviewed measures in regards to “[the main program’s] targets, condition of preparation for operational fight against terrorist, security assessment concerning the Black Sea and the East Mediterranean sea fields and border security,” said the General Staff statement.

The decisions of the YAŞ was presented to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and adopted after his approval later on the night of Nov. 26.