Russia-Turkey Tensions After Su-24 Downing Complicate Vienna Talks on Syria

Former NATO Secretary General Javier Solana said that the preparation of the ‘white list’ of Syrian rebels at Vienna talks will be more difficult after the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet by a Turkish fighter.

MADRID (Sputnik) – Heightened tensions between Russia and Turkey following the downing of a Russian Su-24 jet by a Turkish fighter will complicate the Vienna negotiations on settling the Syrian conflict, former NATO Secretary General Javier Solana said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 jet crashed in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the plane was downed by an air-to-air missile launched by a Turkish F-16 jet over Syrian territory, falling 2.5 miles from the Turkish border.

"Turkish-Russian tension will hinder talks in Vienna. The preparation of the ‘white list’ of Syrian rebels more difficult," Solana tweeted.

La tensión Turquía-Rusia dificultará las conversaciones de Viena.La confección de la "lista blanca" de rebeldes sirios más difícil

— Javier Solana (@javiersolana) November 25, 2015

​Speaking to reporters after phone talks with his Turkish colleague Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the so-called Vienna process on ending the Syrian conflict cannot move forward without agreement on a common list of terrorist organizations.

The former NATO chief called for "a little mutual trust" in the Vienna process, commenting on a letter to the UN Security Council sent by Turkey, which stated that the Russian bomber had flown over Turkish airspace for 17 seconds.

Russia insists that the Russian Su-24 had never crossed into Turkish airspace, citing precise objective control data.

Solana served as NATO secretary general in 1955-99.