The incident involving the downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber led to the worst deterioration of Turkish-Russian relations in recent history, with Russia describing it as a “stab in the back”.
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In a letter to President Vladimir Putin of Russian Federation on Monday, the same day Turkey announced a rapprochement with Israel, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed regret about the November episode, in which Turkish forces shot down a warplane Turkey said had violated its airspace.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the reporters that Erdogan expressed his “sympathy and deep condolences” to the family of the killed pilot and “asked to be forgiven”.
The source clarified that the sorrow expressed in the letter was addressed not to the Russian state, but to the pilot’s family, and there was no reference to compensation. “We have said that if necessary we are ready to pay compensation”, Yıldırım said.
“I think we have reached an understanding on this affair. We have raised and we will continue to raise at the highest level, any incidents inconsistent with protections guaranteed by global law and we will respond appropriately in accordance with USA and worldwide law”.
Erdoğan said that his country is ready to do everything possible to restore friendly ties.
Some diplomats said intruders had broken into their homes at night to rearrange furniture, turn on lights and even defecate on a living room carpet, the newspaper reported, citing officials as saying Russian intelligence officers once broke into the USA defense attache’s Moscow house and killed his dog.
An image grab made from a video shows a burning Russian fighter jet coming down after being shot down near the Turkish-Syrian border, in Hatay on November 24, 2015.
Russian harassment and spying on U.S. diplomats in Moscow has increased significantly, an issue that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry raised recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the beginning, Erdoğan and Putin exchanged harsh criticism and ultimatums in the wake of the jet crisis.
In response Russian Federation imposed a raft of trade and travel sanctions on Turkey.
Russia’s sanctions hit itself as well.
The Turkish attack on the Russian jet occurred a month after Moscow intervened militarily in Syria to back the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and carry out airstrikes.
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Turkey is also fighting autonomy-seeking Kurdish militants after a three-year lull, and the economy has been stretched by the arrival of almost 3 million refugees fleeing violence in Iraq and Syria. “The first thing Russian Federation will expect from Turkey is a change in its Syrian policy”, he said.
