Turkey warns Russia after a new airspace violation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Moscow on Saturday that it would be forced to "endure the consequences" if its jets continue to violate the Turkish airspace, after Ankara reported aQ new border infringement incident by a Russian plane.

NATO-member Turkey said another Russian warplane violated its airspace on Friday despite several warnings - two months after Turkey's military shot down a Russian jet for crossing over its territory, Todays Zaman reported.

The past incident seriously strained the previously close ties between the two countries, damaging a strong economic partnership.

"We regard this infringement which came despite all our warnings in Russian and in English as an effort by Russia to escalate the crisis in the region," Erdoğan told reporters before departing on a Latin American tour. "If Russia continues the violations of Turkey's sovereign rights, it will be forced to endure the consequences."

He did not specify what those consequences might be.

Erdoğan said he attempted to reach Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the issue but that the Russian leader did not respond.

"These irresponsible steps do not help the Russian Federation, NATO-Russia relations or regional and global peace," Erdoğan said. "On the contrary they are detrimental."

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said the Russian SU-34 crossed into Turkish airspace on Friday, ignoring several warnings in Russian and in English by Turkish radar units. It said Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador to the ministry Friday evening to "strongly protest" the violation. It was not clear where exactly the new infringement had occurred.

Source: MENA