Turkey denies it prevented Dodik from reaching Armenia

Turkey denies it prevented Dodik from reaching Armenia

ANKARA -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry has denied that the country on Wednesday blocked its airspace for an airplane carrying RS President Milorad Dodik.

The ministry's spokesperson Tanju Bilgic was quoted by the Hurriyet daily as saying that the claim to the contrary that came from the office of the Bosnian Serb leader "does not reflect reality."

"No request from diplomatic channels was conveyed for the plane carrying Mr. Dodik. No application was filed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation either. On the other side, the required permission was timely given by our air traffic control units to the pilot of a private plane who asked for flying from Bulgaria to Yerevan. However, it is being understood this plane hasn't used our airspace although it got the permission," Bilgic said, and added:

"With any blocking on this issue being out of question, over-flight authorization required for Mr. Dodik's transfer to Yerevan will naturally be given if it is requested."

Dodik on Wednesday failed to reach Yerevan where he was to attend commemorative events to mark the 100th anniversary of the genocide committed against Armenians. His cabinet said that the Turkish authorities did not issue a permission for the airplane to fly over Turkey.

Dodik yesterday waited for four hours in Bulgaria for Turkey to allow the plane to use its airspace, after which he returned to Banja Luka.