Turkey refused permission to the Russian inspectors who planned to conduct the observation flight on board an An-30B plane over Turkish territory on February 1-5.
On Thursday, February 04, a high-ranking source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Ankara’s refusal to allow Russia to conduct an observation flight over Turkish territory under the Open Skies Treaty confirms Moscow’s concerns that Ankara is supporting the banned terrorist group ISIS in Turkey-Syria border side.
Earlier Turkey refused permission to the Russian inspectors who planned to conduct the observation flight on board an An-30B plane over Turkish territory on February 1-5.
“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 said to a Russian Media.
He also said that the West actively accused Russia of illegal activity on the Ukrainian border in 2015 and NATO member countries requested observation flights over Russian territory.
“This once again confirms those concerns that the Russian side has voiced several times on using the Turkish-Syrian border to support ISIS terrorists,” the source reminded.
However, the Russian Defense Ministry presented several videos, photos and satellite images which clearly exposed that Turkey had been involved in illegal oil business with ISIS for a long period of time. Since Russian airstrike began in September 30 last year, ISIS lost significant oil smuggling with Turkey. Many analysts suggested that, ISIS can be eradicated easily if Turkey, Saudi and Qatar stop supporting ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
to operate in the European space … since when is Syrian-Turkish border in Europe?