Portugal condemns Syria’s actions against Turkey

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 27 / Trend, A. Hasanov / Portugal has condemned the actions of Syria which shot down a Turkish jet on June 23, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal Paulo de Sacadura Cabral Portas told journalists in Baku on Wednesday. "Portugal is a very close friend of Turkey and we are very concerned that a Turkish jet was shot down by Syrian troops," Portas said adding it was a provocation. "The Syrian regime must understand that it is unacceptable in international practice," he said. A Turkish Air Force F-4 jet departing on Friday from the Erhac airbase in the Province of Malatya disappeared from radar screens half an hour after take-off in airspace over the Mediterranean Sea areas of Hatay province's south-east border with Syria. Syria said it shot down the F4 jet because it was flying over Syrian territorial waters. However, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the F4 jet was shot down in international airspace and its wreckage fell into Syrian territorial waters. The Portuguese foreign minister's visit to Azerbaijan will end on June 29. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az