Putin Rejected Turkey Tayyip's phone call even after he expressed regret downed SU-24

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Vladimir Putin refuses to speak to Turkish president over Ankara's lack of apology
The row between Russia and Turkey since the latter downed a Moscow warplane this week continues with the Russian president refusing to speak to his Turkish counterpart
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Russian president Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo: AP

By Raziye Akkoc, and Roland Oliphant, Moscow

7:40PM GMT 27 Nov 2015

Russia suspended visa free travel with Turkey and warned that it may restrict civilian passenger flights between the two countries on Friday, as the confrontation between the two countries deepened.

In the most drastic step so far, the Kremlin revealed that Vladimir Putin has twice refused to take calls from Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, until he apologises for a Turkish warplane shot down a Russian military jet on Tuesday.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Mr Putin, told reporters in Moscow that the president had twice refused to take phone calls from Mr Erdogan since the aircraft was shot down.

"We see Turkey's unwillingness to simply apologise for the incident with the plane," Yuri Ushakov said.

Mr Erdogan sounded a conciliatory note on Friday, saying he "attached a lot of importance to our relations with Russia" and that he wanted to meet Mr Putin on Monday during the climate summit in Paris next week.

But he also warned Mr Putin was “playing with fire” following Russian authorities’ arrest of 39 Turkish businessmen for visa violations on Thursday.

"It is playing with fire to go as far as mistreating our citizens who have gone to Russia," Mr Erdogan told supporters during a speech in Bayburt, in north-east Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a reception at the presidential palace with his wife Emine Erdogan in Ankara, TurkeyTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a reception at the presidential palace with his wife Emine Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey Photo: AP

The Kremlin said a formal request for a meeting, received via the foreign ministry, is being considered.

Two Russian servicemen were killed after a Turkish F-16 shot down a Russian SU-24 jet over the Turkish-Syrian border on Tuesday, sparking the worst crisis in relations between Ankara and Moscow since the cold war.

Russia has unveiled a series of increasingly harsh economic and diplomatic responses to the shoot down, including suspension of major investment projects, a possible ban on Turkish fruit and vegetable import, and the arrests of the 39 businessmen who entered the country as tourists.

In the most drastic step so far, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said on Friday that Moscow it would scrap a visa-free regime with Turkey from January 1, 2016.

Announcing the move at a press conference with Walid Muallem, the Syrian foreign minister, Mr Lavrov said Ankara had been uncooperative in providing information about Turkish citizens suspected of terrorism.

"We have more and more questions about the activity of Ankara and its real commitment to eradicating terrorism," Mr Lavrov said.

The move only affects Turks entering Russia, and will not impact four million Russian tourists who visit Turkey without visas each year unless Ankara imposes a reciprocal ban.

Blinking first in the battle of wills between the two countries, the Turkish airforce reportedly decided to suspend missions over Syria as part of the US-led coalition against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), in a move to ease tensions with Russia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin Photo: AP

Diplomatic sources said the "mutual decision taken with Russia" had also seen Moscow suspend air strikes near the Turkish border, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

However, Russian defence officials did not announce such a move and a Turkish government official later described the report as “inaccurate".

"At this time, Turkey remains fully committed to fighting Isil as part of the international coalition,” the official said.

"Turkey's participation in coalition air strikes is determined by ourselves and our allies alone depending on mutual assessments of military developments on the ground and logistical needs," the official said.

Turkey revised military engagement rules in 2012 https://t.co/80zFDcl6h5 pic.twitter.com/l9v11pfA24
— ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) November 27, 2015

Since the incident, the war of words between the two countries and their leaders increased with Mr Erdogan accusing the Russian president of slander. Mr Putin suggested Turkey bought oil from Isil and was an "accomplice" of terrorists.

Mr Putin said on Tuesday that Isil was "protected by the military of an entire nation", alluding to Turkey as he said Ankara had "stabbed Russia in the back".

“Isil has big money, hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars, from selling oil. In addition they are protected by the military of an entire nation. One can understand why they are acting so boldly and blatantly.

"Why they kill people in such atrocious ways. Why they commit terrorist acts across the world, including in the heart of Europe,” the Russian president said.

The Turkish president refused to ignore such comments and fired back on Thursday, saying Mr Putin was a "slanderer".


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