Turkey PM scolds Tsipras after Twitter broadside

AFP, ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday urged Greek premier Alexis Tsipras to focus on a “positive agenda” after he lashed out at Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian warplane in a series of tweets.
Without resorting to the niceties of diplomatic language, Tsipras blasted Turkey’s shooting down of the Russian plane last week for allegedly violating its airspace on the Syrian border.
The Greek prime minister, who Sunday attended an EU summit along with Davutoglu to reach a deal over the migrant crisis, accused Turkish jets of repeatedly violating Greek airspace over the Aegean, saying the ensuing defence spending would be better used on refugees.
“Fortunately our pilots are not as mercurial as yours (were) against the Russians,” Tsipras told Davutoglu in the first of four tweets from his official account @tsipras_eu.
“What is happening in the Aegean is outrageous and unbelievable. We’re spending billions on weapons. You—to violate our airspace, we—to intercept you.”
“We have the most modern aerial weapons systems—and yet, on the ground, we can’t catch traffickers who drown innocent people.”

 

Turkey PM scolds Tsipras after Twitter broadside

AFP, ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday urged Greek premier Alexis Tsipras to focus on a positive agenda after he lashed out at Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian warplane in a series of tweets. Without resorting to the niceties of diplomatic language, Tsipras blasted Turkeys shooting down of the Russian plane last week for allegedly violating its airspace on the Syrian border. The Greek prime minister, who Sunday attended an EU summit along with Davutoglu to reach a deal over the migrant crisis, accused Turkish jets of repeatedly violating Greek airspace over the Aegean, saying the ensuing defence spending would be better used on refugees. Fortunately our pilots are not as mercurial as yours (were) against the Russians, Tsipras told Davutoglu in the first of four tweets from his official account @tsipras_eu. What is happening in the Aegean is outrageous and unbelievable. Were spending billions on weapons. Youto violate our airspace, weto intercept you. We have the most modern aerial weapons systemsand yet, on the ground, we cant catch traffickers who drown innocent people.