Turkey tells UN:

Syria jet shooting, a 'serious threat' to peace

UNITED NATIONS: Turkey on Monday complained to the United Nations that the shooting down of its fighter jet by Syria was "a serious threat to peace and security" in the region.

A letter to the UN Security Council and UN leader Ban Ki-moon, obtained by AFP, stressed that the jet was in international airspace but made no demand for UN action against Syria.

Turkey's UN ambassador Ertugrul Apakan said Friday's shooting down was "a serious threat to peace and security in the region, in the context of the Syrian crisis." "The aircraft did not display any hostile attitude or maneuver and was flying with its identification systems open. The shooting came without any prior warning," said the letter.

Syria has insisted the Turkish jet infringed its airspace. "What happened is a gross violation of Syrian sovereignty," a Syrian government spokesman said Monday.

Turkey at first acknowledged that the F-4 Phantom jet may have strayed over Syrian territory but made no mention of this in the official letter.

"After receiving a deadly blow, the aircraft diverted towards the Syrian coast and crashed into the sea at eight nautical miles off the coast of Latakia," the letter said.

It added Turkish and Syrian radar and radio records "testify" that the jet was in international airspace.

"Furthermore, the captured radio communication among Syrian authorities clearly demonstrates that the Syrian units were fully aware of the circumstances and the fact that the aircraft belonged to Turkey."

Turkey renewed its accusation that a rescue plane sent to look for the two crew was also fired at. The Casa plane was fired on in the hours after the shooting down. "Once all the facts are established, we will decide on the scope of the measures in response to this act.

Turkey withholds her rights emanating from international law," the letter said.

"This attack at the international airspace, causing possible loss of two Turkish pilots, is a hostile act by the Syrian authorities against Turkey's national security. Thus, we strongly condemn it." AFP