Turkey issues warning to Russia over Bosphorus incident — diplomatic source

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Russian ambassador in Turkey summoned to Turkish Foreign Ministry

ANKARA, December 7 /TASS/. The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday received explanations from Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov over an incident involving a Russian sailor who allegedly held a man-portable air defense system on his shoulder when his warship was sailing through the Bosphorus, a diplomatic source said.

The ministry expressed the hope that no such incidents, which contradicted the letter and spirit of international laws and the Montreux Convention, would recur in future. The source also said that the Russian side had promised to convey in full measure the official stance of the Turkish Foreign Ministry to the Russian agencies concerned.

The Russian embassy in Turkey confirms that Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov has been summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the embassy’s spokesman, Igor Mityakov, told TASS on Monday.

"We confirm that a meeting has taken place. The ambassador met department head Burak Ozugergin (responsible for political, maritime, aviation and border affairs). We are not giving any comments on the content of their conversation," the spokesperson said.

A photograph of allegedly Russian sailor who was standing on the deck of a Russian warship with a man-portable air defense system on his shoulder appeared in Turkish newspapers last Sunday. The Turkish side described the incident as an "open provocation.".