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Minsk offers help to resolve Russia-Turkey crisis

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held talks with both Russian and Turkish leaders expressing his point of view, the foreign minister went on to say

MINSK, January 3. /TASS/. Belarus can exert all efforts possible to help resolve the Russia-Turkey crisis as it is done in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said on Sunday, aired by the national Belarus 1 television.

"We would prefer the conflict to end as soon as possible," Makei said noting Minsk "was not going to impose intermediary services on anyone."

"However, we proceed from the fact that reciprocal pressure and reciprocal sanctions are not a way to settle inter-state relations. We have experienced it," he said adding hopefully that the crisis between Russia and Turkey could be settled sooner or later.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held talks with both Russian and Turkish leaders expressing his point of view, the foreign minister went on to say.

"But we cannot get the one or the other side to act as we would wish," Makei said adding Belarus had the right to express its viewpoint.

"The other subjects should decide to accept this viewpoint or not," he said.

The downing of Russian Su-24 bomber by Turkey

Relations between Russia and Turkey have been locked in a spat over the downing of a Russian Su-24M bomber on November 24 by the Turkish Air Force’s fighter jets. Ankara claims the bomber violated the Turkish air space in the area of the border with Syria. However, Russia’s Defence Ministry has said the Su-24M plane stayed exclusively over the Syrian territory and "there was no violation of the Turkish air space."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Turkey’s attack will have "serious consequences" for the two countries’ relations. Putin said Ankara’s attack against the Russian plane, which took part in Russia’s antiterrorism operation in Syria and did not present a threat to Turkey, was a "stab in Russia’s back" delivered by terrorists’ accomplices.

On November 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on measures to ensure Russia’s national security and to protect its citizens from criminal and other illegal activities and to impose special economic measures against Turkey.