nato to listen to turkey's complaint about downed jet

TURKEY WILL TAKE DOWNING OF ITS AIRCRAFT TO NATO, UNDER ARTICLE 4

Turkey has announced that it will seek an "Article 4" consultation with envoys and members of NATO's 28 member countries, after Syria, on June 22, shot down a Turkish F-4 Phantom plane, which plane had entered Syrian airspace.

According to Agence France Presse Saturday June 23, Turkish President Abdullah Gul stated it was not unusual for warplanes flying at high speed to cross maritime borders, indicating that the Turkish F-4 had entered Syrian air space.

"Under Article 4, any ally can request consultations whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened," a NATO spokeswoman said.


NATO said that the meeting will take place in Brussels, Tuesday, June 26.

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NEW ASSAD GOVERNMENT INCLUDES REAL OPPOSITION


Syrian President Bashar Assad has announced a new government, which includes two well-known leaders from the real, mainstream Syrian opposition, not steered from Britain, according to the June 23 Voice of Russia. The new government and legislature were brought into being by Syria's May 7 national elections, in which 60% of Syria's eligible voters voted, which is a higher percent than in most Western nations. The new Prime Minister is Riyadh Hijab, previously the Agriculture Minister, who has been a leader of the Ba'ath Party.


In the new government, the important post of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister for Trade will be held by Qadri Jamil, leader of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation, and secretary-general of the People's Will Party. Simultaneously, the prominent leader Ali Haydar, who heads Syria's Social National Party, will assume the newly created position of National Reconciliation Minister.


Dr. Irina Zviagelskaya of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported, "Assad has obviously attempted to defuse the political tensions in Syria by demonstrating readiness to embrace change and include leaders of the mainstream opposition in his government." The London-steered thugs, like the Syrian National Council, have refused to join the government.