(MintPress) – On Friday, the Syrian military shot down a Turkish fighter jet reportedly flying in international airspace. The provocative move has escalated the conflict between two countries that have had a deteriorating relationship since the beginning of Syrian citizen protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was outraged by the incident, vowing to take appropriate action once the investigation concluded. Turkey has already convened a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a move that could lead to a collective military response from the powerful multinational coalition.
A disputed incident
The Turkish military reportedly lost contact with the F-4 aircraft on Friday, 90 minutes after taking off from the Erhac air base in Northwestern Turkey. The plane, carrying two passengers, was initially reported to have crashed on its own accord, but was later confirmed to have been shot down.
Prime Minister Erdogan heard of the news during a flight back from Brazil, initially saying that the Syrian government “expressed regret” for the incident. However, he adopted a stronger tone of condemnation when asked about the event later by the press.
On Sunday, Turkish search and rescue teams found the wreckage of the fighter jet in the Mediterranean Sea, about 4,260 feet underwater, according to a report by CNN news. As the fallout from the event continues, many speculate how this event will affect the deteriorating Turkish-Syrian relationship and whether this could lead to a broader NATO intervention in Syria.
An act of war?
While reports, including those coming from Syria, acknowledge that the plane was shot down, there is still controversy as to whether the plane violated Syrian territorial sovereignty.
On Monday, Syrian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jihad Makdissi denied Turkish reports that the F-4 fighter plane was shot down in international airspace saying, “What happened was a violation of Syrian airspace. Even Turkey says Syrian sovereignty was violated. Regardless of whether it was a training mission, or a reconnaissance mission, it was a violation.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu acknowledged that their plane had briefly crossed into Syrian air space, but he insists that the plane was shot down only after it had entered international air space. Additionally, Turkish authorities say the act was a “hostile movement,” and not an appropriate action. The strong rebuke was delivered to the Syrian consulate in Istanbul through a diplomatic note.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined her Turkish counterpart in condemning the Syrian action saying, “The United States condemns this brazen and unacceptable act in the strongest possible terms. It is yet another reflection of the Syrian authorities’ callous disregard for international norms, human life and peace and security.”
The Syrian civil war
The 15-month conflict that U.N. officials have labeled a “civil war” has threatened regional stability and could lead to a broader military conflict. While the bulk of the 15,000 casualties have been Syrian demonstrators demanding greater democratic freedoms and an end to Bashar al-Assad’s rule, some foreign fighters have reportedly infiltrated the ranks of the Syrian opposition. Turkey has provided refuge to thousands of Syrian citizens fleeing violence in their country.
Some speculate that Turkey, a member of NATO, could attempt to exercise Article 5 of the NATO charter. Article 5 is the collective security clause, an agreement among NATO members that states if one state is attacked, the other member states will collectively defending their ally. Officially, the clause has only been invoked once by the United States in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
While Turkish authorities have not openly called for a NATO intervention, many fear that a provocative attack, such as the downing of the Turkish jet, could provide the fodder necessary for those supporting direct, Libya-style intervention in Syria.
On Tuesday, NATO will convene a special meeting at the request of Turkey. Any member state has a right to call a meeting under Article 4 of the NATO charter should it feel that its territorial sovereignty, political independence or security has been threatened.