Turkey to address NATO over downed jet

Turkey was today due to address NATO’s governing body over the downing of one of its military planes by Syrian forces.

The discussions will be held under Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which allows a NATO member to request consultations if its security has been threatened.

Yesterday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Ankara would request that the incident be considered under Article 5, which states that an attack against one NATO member shall be considered an attack against all members and would possibly allow for NATO military retaliation.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Turkey described the incident as a “hostile act by the Syrian authorities against Turkey’s national security”.

Turkey’s deputy prime minister said it “would not go unpunished”, but stressed it was not seeking military action.

The RF-4E reconnaissance jet was overflying the Syrian coastline on Friday when it was shot down. It crashed into the sea a mile inside international waters. The two pilots are still missing.

Syria said the downing was an accident, caused by the “automatic response” of an officer commanding an anti-aircraft position who saw an unidentified jet flying at high speed and low altitude.

Diplomats said the 28 ambassadors who make up the North Atlantic Council will discuss Turkey’s concerns and would likely condemn the action but eschew military intervention.

Last year, NATO launched air attacks on Libyan government targets only after receiving such a mandate from the UN Security Council, along with backing from the Arab League.

But in Syria’s case, the Arab League is yet to agree on the need for military intervention, while Russia and China, which both hold veto powers in the Security Council, have called for restraint over international action.