Turnbull, Bishop back UN inquiry into downed Russian fighter

Australia is backing an international effort to avert a military clash between Russia and Turkey.

Malcolm Turnbull during question time at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday.

Australia is backing an inter­national effort to avert a military clash between Russia and Turkey over the downing of a jet fighter on the Syrian border as Vladimir Putin blasted the “stab in the back” attack.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is supporting a UN plan to investigate the incident in which two Turkish F-16 jets turned on a Russian Sukhoi Su-24, sending it crashing in flames and killing at least two Russians.

Ms Bishop also declared a similar fate would not befall Australian fighter bombers flying into Syrian airspace from Iraq, given that the missions were co-ordinated with the US and subject to a formal understanding with Russia.

Mr Putin has warned of ­“serious consequences” and ­described Turkey as the “accomplices of terrorists” amid fears of reprisals over the first incident of its kind for decades.

While the Russian President insisted the fighter jet had been on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey, the Turkish government said the Su-24 had been warned 10 times in five minutes that it was operating in Turkish airspace.

As Malcolm Turnbull called for “restraint” from all sides, the ­UN suggested an ­inquiry to deal with the contested facts.

Ms Bishop welcomed moves by Russia and Turkey to accept an ­independent inquiry.

“It is a positive sign that it has been referred to the United ­Nations Security Council and so there is less likelihood there would be military retaliation,” Ms Bishop said.

“Currently the details of the ­incident are still unclear. That’s why a credible and competent ­investigation should start as soon as possible to establish the facts.”

Russia and the US signed a memorandum of understanding last month to prevent an inadvertent clash over Syria.

“I can’t envisage a scenario where Australian planes would find themselves in the same situation,” Ms Bishop told The ­Australian.

Mr Turnbull said there was “strong momentum” towards a political solution in Syria including the US and Russia despite the incident.

“The facts and the circumstances are not, of course, yet known, and obviously there will be issues between Turkey and Russia as to which side of the border the plane was on. But restraint is ­essential,’’ the Prime Minister said.

“That is an especially difficult area but I think, notwithstanding this incident with the Russian plane being shot down, I think there remains strong momentum to a political resolution or at least to seek to get there, because frankly unless you get there, there will be no resolution.”

Mr Turnbull reiterated that the “force of arms” would not be enough to resolve the war in Syria.