Ban concerned after Syria downed Turkish jet

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his deep concern about the downed Turkish military jet and particularly about the potential serious implications of this incident for the region, the Secretary General's spokesperson's office Martin Nesirky said. In a telephone conversation with the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Ban said that his thoughts were with the families of the missing pilots. He commended Turkey for the restraint shown in its initial reaction and appreciated Turkey and Syria for conducting a joint search operation. The Secretary General urged both to continue to address the situation diplomatically. He said the United Nations was prepared to provide any support which would be helpful in these difficult circumstances. Turkey has acknowledged that the F-4 Phantom jet may have violated Syrian airspace before it was shot down Friday.