The Russian Foreign Ministry have said that Turkey’s refusal to allow Russia to conduct an observation flight over Turkish territory confirms that the country supports ISIS.
A high-ranking source within the Foreign Ministry says that the refusal to allow Russia to conduct the flight is not only a breach of the Open Skies Treaty, but also a tacit admission that Ankara support ISIS militants at the Turkish-Syrian border.
Farsnews.com reports:
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Russian inspectors planned to conduct the observation flight on board an An-30B plane over Turkish territory on February 1-5, but they were refused permission to do so after they arrived in Turkey and announced the flight route.
“This case is of course outrageous because the Open Skies Treaty today is practically one of many mechanisms that continue to operate in the European space and this treaty is valid and allows for acquiring valid information on steps being taken or not being taken by one or another state,” the source told RIA Novosti.
He reminded that in 2015 the West actively accused Russia of illegal activity on the Ukrainian border and NATO member countries requested observation flights over Russian territory, the results of which fully reversed the rumors.
“This once again confirms those concerns that the Russian side has voiced several times on using the Turkish-Syrian border to support ISIL militants,” the source said.
Sean Adl-Tabatabai
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