Turkey to decide on Tuesday about response to Syria

ISTANBUL – The Turkish government will announce on Tuesday how they will respond to the shooting down of a Turkish jet by Syria last Friday. The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Davutoglu announced this on Sunday in an interview with state-run TV channel TRT.

Davutoglu said that analysis of available intelligence shows that the plane, which was on a test and training mission and was unarmed, was shot down over international waters. It crossed the Syrian border for a short period of time, but was warned by Turkey that it was violating Syrian air space, according to Davutoglu. The minister says Syria didn’t give any warning before shooting the plane down.

The Turkish government has consulted more than ten foreign ministers world-wide, including those of the United States, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. On Sunday there will be meetings with the leaders of parties in Turkish parliament, and a cabinet meeting is scheduled for Monday.

Davutoglu announced that Turkey will ‘decisively and without hesitation take required steps’.