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The Moscow Times, Russia
Oct 16 2012
Armenian Plane Traveling to Syria Searched in Turkey
15 October 2012
Reuters
Turkey ordered an Armenian plane flying to the Syrian city of Aleppo
to land and searched its cargo Monday, the latest move to prevent its
airspace being used to supply the Syrian military.
The plane was allowed to continue on its way after the search in the
eastern Turkish city of Erzurum confirmed that it was carrying
humanitarian aid as stated by Armenian officials, a Turkish deputy
prime minister said.
"The plane was ordered to land, and it was inspected. It was clear
that the declaration was correct, and the plane was given permission
to take off," Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc told reporters.
On Wednesday, Turkey forced down a Syrian airliner that had come from
Moscow, and Turkish officials said they had found Russian munitions on
board destined for Syria's armed forces.
NATO member Turkey has become increasingly assertive in challenging
Syrian President Bashar Assad in the face of growing tensions along
the border. It banned all Syrian aircraft from its airspace in the
wake of that incident.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Turkey has the sovereign right under
the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation to require planes crossing
its airspace to make a "technical landing," but he did not say whether
this right would be exercised in the future.
Armenia said it knew beforehand tat the plane would be searched.
"The landing of the airplane in Turkey was planned, and it was carried
out according to a previously reached agreement. The airplane is
delivering humanitarian aid to Syria," Armenian Foreign Ministry
spokesman Tigran Balayan said.
Last week's decision to force down and search the Syrian plane
traveling from Russia infuriated Moscow and Damascus.
Russia has said that there were no weapons on the plane and that it
was carrying a legal cargo of radar equipment. But Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov later said the incident would not hurt the countries'
"solid" relations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said over the weekend that
Turkish airspace had been closed to Syrian planes. Syria has also
banned Turkish planes from flying over its territory.
The confrontation between Turkey and Syria has escalated in the last
two weeks because of cross-border shelling, with Ankara retaliating
after five Turkish civilians were killed when a Syrian shell hit a
Turkish border town.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/armenian-plane-traveling-to-syria-searched-in-turkey/469783.html
From: Baghdasarian
Oct 16 2012
Armenian Plane Traveling to Syria Searched in Turkey
15 October 2012
Reuters
Turkey ordered an Armenian plane flying to the Syrian city of Aleppo
to land and searched its cargo Monday, the latest move to prevent its
airspace being used to supply the Syrian military.
The plane was allowed to continue on its way after the search in the
eastern Turkish city of Erzurum confirmed that it was carrying
humanitarian aid as stated by Armenian officials, a Turkish deputy
prime minister said.
"The plane was ordered to land, and it was inspected. It was clear
that the declaration was correct, and the plane was given permission
to take off," Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc told reporters.
On Wednesday, Turkey forced down a Syrian airliner that had come from
Moscow, and Turkish officials said they had found Russian munitions on
board destined for Syria's armed forces.
NATO member Turkey has become increasingly assertive in challenging
Syrian President Bashar Assad in the face of growing tensions along
the border. It banned all Syrian aircraft from its airspace in the
wake of that incident.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Turkey has the sovereign right under
the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation to require planes crossing
its airspace to make a "technical landing," but he did not say whether
this right would be exercised in the future.
Armenia said it knew beforehand tat the plane would be searched.
"The landing of the airplane in Turkey was planned, and it was carried
out according to a previously reached agreement. The airplane is
delivering humanitarian aid to Syria," Armenian Foreign Ministry
spokesman Tigran Balayan said.
Last week's decision to force down and search the Syrian plane
traveling from Russia infuriated Moscow and Damascus.
Russia has said that there were no weapons on the plane and that it
was carrying a legal cargo of radar equipment. But Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov later said the incident would not hurt the countries'
"solid" relations.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said over the weekend that
Turkish airspace had been closed to Syrian planes. Syria has also
banned Turkish planes from flying over its territory.
The confrontation between Turkey and Syria has escalated in the last
two weeks because of cross-border shelling, with Ankara retaliating
after five Turkish civilians were killed when a Syrian shell hit a
Turkish border town.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/armenian-plane-traveling-to-syria-searched-in-turkey/469783.html
From: Baghdasarian