Stopover of Armenian plane in Turkey was planned
15.10.2012,
17:53
Armenian authorities agreed to the grounding of an Aleppo-bound plane in the eastern province of Erzurum as part of a previous agreement between Turkey and Armenia regarding flights to Syria, Russian and Turkish news agencies reported.
YEREVAN, October 15, /ARKA/. Armenian authorities agreed to the grounding of an Aleppo-bound plane in the eastern province of Erzurum as part of a previous agreement between Turkey and Armenia regarding flights to Syria, Russian and Turkish news agencies reported.
The landing took place in the eastern city of Erzurum, Russian RIA Novosti reported. The cargo plane was bound for Aleppo and had reported that it was carrying humanitarian aid, NTV television said, citing Turkish Foreign Ministry officials.
The plane was carrying aid and the stop in Turkey was planned, Tigran Balayan, a spokesman for Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said. Turkey permitted the flight on condition it would carry out the search, and will allow the plane to resume its journey, NTV channel reported.
Turkish newspapers said Armenia notified Turkish authorities of their willingness to send humanitarian aid to Syria before agreeing to Turkey's terms that called for a routine security check for every plane bound to Syria.
The plane, which was forced to land earlier this morning, will be permitted to depart as soon as the checks are completed, Turkish
authorities said.
The plane is carrying humanitarian aid, including food and clothes, sent from Armenia to the Syrian Armenians for a charity campaign.
Nana Avetisova, a spokeswoman for Armenian national airline Armavia, said the plane did not belong to it. The Armenian Department of Civil Aviation said it will provide its comments later. -0-
