Russia-Turkey tensions reflect complicated situation in Syria

IN RESPONSE TO TURKEY'S SHOOTING DOWN a Russian war plane near the Syrian Turkish border earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Saturday imposing economic sanctions against Turkey. These include a ban on charter flights between the two countries and import restrictions on certain Turkish goods. Russian tour operators have also been asked to stop selling trips to Turkey, normally a top holiday destination for Russian tourists. Comments:

Russia and Turkey have different purposes in their interventions in Syria and the fight against the Islamic State group. Ankara is trying to crush the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and protect the Turkmen forces in Syria. Moscow, meanwhile, wants to secure the incumbent Bashar Assad administration, a traditional ally of Russia, and so is against the opposition forces in Syria.

That their relations went sour over the downing of a Russian warplane on the Syrian border, not only mirrors the intertwined interests of all the parties concerned, it is also a big relief for US President Barack Obama.