No weapons on Syrian plane grounded by Turkey – Lavrov

Source: Russia Today

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that no weapons were carried by the Syrian passenger plane Turkey diverted on Wednesday over suspicions it was transporting non-civilian cargo.

Lavrov claimed the Airbus A-320 was carrying radar components, and that transporting such items by civil aircraft does not violate international law.

"We have no secrets," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters. "There were, of course, no weapons on the plane and could not have been any. There was a cargo on the plane that a legal Russian supplier was sending in a legal way to a legal customer."

The announcement came in response to a Thursday statement made by Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan alleging that the Syrian Air jet was transporting Russian-made munitions for the Syrian Defense Ministry.

“It is absolutely clear who sent the cargo and who was going to receive it. This was munitions from the Russian equivalent of our Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation being sent to the Syrian Defense Ministry," Ergodan said.

Turkey diverted the passenger plane en route from Moscow to Damascus on Wednesday as it entered Turkish airspace, and forced it to land in Ankara and open its cargo to inspection. After around nine hours, some items from the cargo were seized and the plane was allowed to depart.

Syria labeled the incident "air piracy," and insisted there was nothing illegal on board the plane.
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Intercepted: First video aboard Syria-bound plane diverted by Turkey

Source: Russia Today

On board the civilian aircraft and the first moments of forced landing in Turkey! Note the masked men with guns in Turkey.

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Russia waiting for Turkey's explanation over grounded plane: FM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo)

Source: Press TV

Moscow says it is waiting for an official explanation from Ankara about its refusal to let Russian diplomats in Turkey meet the Russian passengers aboard a plane intercepted and forced to land in the Turkish capital.

“We are awaiting an official reply why our diplomats were not allowed to meet the Russian passengers on board,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

On October 10, Turkish F-16 fighter jets intercepted a Syrian Airbus A320 flying over Turkish airspace and escorted it to Ankara’s Esenboga Airport.

Having taken off from Moscow, the plane was reportedly carrying 35 passengers on board, including 17 Russian nationals.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the decision was made based on information that the aircraft might be carrying “certain equipment in breach of civil aviation rules.”

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan later said the grounded plane contained “equipment and munitions sent for the Syrian Defense Ministry from a Russian institution.”

Syrian foreign ministry dismissed Turkish premier’s claims, saying that Erdogan “continues to lie in order to justify his government's hostile attitude towards Syria.”

The Turkish authorities allowed the plane and its passengers to leave Ankara nine hours after landing, but they seized parts of the cargo.

Meanwhile, Moscow censured Ankara for endangering the lives of the flight’s passengers by dispatching fighter jets to force the plane to land.

Also on Friday, Lavrov highlighted that “There were, of course, no weapons on the plane and could not have been any. There was a cargo on the plane that a legal Russian supplier was sending in a legal way to a legal customer.”


The foreign minister added the Russian company that sent the legitimate “electric equipment for radars” cargo to Syria will demand that Turkey return it.