Turkey’s Erdogan says he wishes Russian plane had not been shot down

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month.

Entering into force immediately, the presidential decree said a ban of charter flights from Russia to Turkey will be introduced, and Russian tourism operators should stop selling tour packages to Turkey.

But aides to Putin say he is incandescent that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has yet to apologize for the November 24 incident near the Syrian-Turkish border in which one Russian pilot was killed along with a Russian marine who tried to rescue the crew of the downed SU-24 jet. The order also suspends or limits the business activities of Turkish companies in Russian Federation and effectively bans any new hiring of Turkish citizens in Russian Federation from next year.

“We wish it hadn’t happened, but it happened”.

It was the first expression of regret by the strongman leader since Tuesday’s incident in which Turkish F-16 jets shot down the Russian jet on grounds that it had violated Turkey’s airspace despite repeated warnings to change course. “As much as Russia is important for Turkey, Turkey is important for Russia”, Erdogan said in a televised speech in the western city of Baliksehir.

“The meeting discussed increased tensions over Syria against the background of Turkey’s aggressive and unpredictable actions”, Peskov told reporters.

Russia dismisses Ankara’s claims and says the fighter jet was downed in the Syrian airspace, where the Russian air force has been carrying out combat sorties against Takfiri terrorists since September 30 upon a request by the Syrian government.

“We tell Russia, ‘Let’s talk about this issue within its boundaries, and let’s settle it, ‘ ” Erdogan said Saturday.

The visa-free travel regime between Russian Federation and Turkey is also formally suspended and Turkish citizens, except Turkish diplomats and their dependants and those with temporary permits of residence, are not allowed to enter Russian Federation starting January 1, 2016.

There are two main obstacles to Russian-Turkish relations returning to normal – which is essential if real progress is going to be made in resolving the Syrian conflict. “Both countries can not afford to give up on each other”, Erdogan said.

After the incident, Russia deployed long-range S-400 air defense missile systems to a Russian air base in Syria just 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the border with Turkey to help protect Russian warplanes, and the Russian military warned it would shoot down any aerial target that would pose a potential threat to its planes. Moscow has also hinted the reprisals could hit two major projects with Turkey – a planned gas pipeline and a nuclear power plant.