Syrian campaign: our new opponent – Turkey

If still in the European Union and NATO avoided words «cold war» with reference to crisis between the West and Russia, on Monday in Brussels it was on lips of diplomats (meanwhile off the record) and the journalists shining a special session of Council of NATO and visit of the president of Turkey of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The days off brought two incidents which could pour out in direct collision between NATO and Russia.

Twice the Russian warplanes during operation in Syria interfered in air space of the NATO country, Turkey and air defenses could be brought down Turkish. And the second violation occurred after the Russian military department already recognized accident of the first and promised: incidents will not repeat any more.

NATO council at ambassador level gathered specially to discuss violation of borders of alliance by another’s military planes. Secretary general Jens Stoltenberg called it "inadmissible".

«Members of alliance note extreme danger of so irresponsible behavior. They urge the Russian Federation to stop and immediately to explain these violations», – declared NATO Council in the paper following the results of meeting.

Let’s remind that Turkey – the military power of NATO second after the USA on number of armed forces and, perhaps, more active member of alliance, than many European NATO countries.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that Russia «will bear responsibility for any undesirable incident which can occur» in case of the following violation. In other words, if Turks bring down the Russian plane.

Rules of application of fire operating in Turkey assume destruction of the flying objects which have intruded in its air space irrespective of the addition country.

War is war, military pilots work in fighting conditions, in a condition of a stress, changeable weather, and it is difficult to avoid violations of the borders drawn on the virtual card. Be Russia the participant of operation against «The Islamic state» together with Turkey and other NATO and Arab countries, this one. But while it is unclear, Russia and the international coalition, everyone in itself, against the general enemy or on the different parties of the Syrian conflict are at war. Moscow still considers as "terrorists" of all who opposes Assad’s mode, that is including antiasadovsky groups supported by the international coalition.

So, in addition to crisis in the relations with EU and America, Russia, having entered into Syria, received the conflict to Turkey which was still quite favorable to the Kremlin.

Still yesterday the Russian semi-official mass media greedily rejoiced gas to "a Turkish stream» as to break of Russia through obstruction of the European Union.

To president Erdogan it was obvious not to a festival of arts on which it officially arrived to Brussels by the invitation of the king of Belgians of Philippe. It carried out the most part of day not in a concert box and not on an opening day, and in offices on Schuman Square, in the European commission and in EU Council.

The firm step, uneasy look and at times angry tone gave out its concern in the events.

Addressing to the press after a meeting with the chairman of Eurocouncil Donald Tuskom, Erdogan reminded Europeans that Turkey bears much heavier burden of migratory crisis, than they. Since the beginning of year it accepted 2,2 million migrants from Syria and 300 thousand – from Iraq, having spent for them 7,8 billion dollars of own means. The Turkish coast guard rescued from death in the sea of 60 thousand refugees. For comparison, crisis of refugees in EU was caused only by 250 thousand migrants. And Russia with the aggression in Syria for Erdogan appeared more than inopportunely.

«It is necessary to remember that the main reasons of a problem of refugees is a war in Syria, and also terrorism of Assad sponsored by the state», – Erdogan declared further, having definitely put itself on other party of a barrier against Putin and having accused the Russian president.

He called support of the Syrian dictator by Russia «a serious mistake».

«Assad made the act of the state terrorism, and, unfortunately, Russia and Iran it protect», – not without irritation the Turkish leader declared.

Alexander Mineev