Turkey has apologized to Russia for downing a Russian plane that intruded upon Turkish territory last November. The Russian plane was conducting bombing attacks on rebels in Syrian territory and briefly passed through Turkish airspace. Turkey did not renounce the claims it had made in defense of its territory and indicated that it would prosecute a Turkish national for killing the Russian pilot. The apology by President Erdogan is unusual in that states usually do not apologize for the defense of their territory–that act is one of the most important of all sovereign rights. Erdogan is clearly interested in repairing Turkish relations with Russia.
The EU has signaled to Britain that it wishes a quick British exit from the Union. David Cameron, the British Prime Minister who has indicated that he will step down in November, has already bought Britain several months for possible negotiations before the formal exit negotiations begin. The formal negotiations are triggered by activating Article 50 of the EU Treaty which gives the two sides 2 years to work out an exit. The British are asking for informal negotiations first, but the EU leadership does not want the negotiations to drag out beyond the two years. The belief is that the negotiations will weaken the Union as a whole as the membership watches possible exceptions being offered to the British which may induce other wavering members to consider an exit as well.
The Spanish election yesterday did not produce a government. The conservative Popular Party of Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy won the largest number of seats in Parliament but it fell short of a majority, even in a coalition with the center-right Ciudadanos party. So Rajoy has to figure out a way to work with the left-wing parties or there has to be another election (the third) in another 6 months. The Spanish economy is not strong enough to endure an extended period of time without an effective government.
World Politics News 
Leave a comment