Erdoğan, Putin not to cross paths during UN Climate Summit in Paris


President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Putin will probably not cross paths on the opening day of the U.N. climate change summit in Paris as the two leaders will be placed in different rooms during the event.According to reports published Turkish media outlets, after taking the family picture with other 145 world leaders, the two leaders will attend the summit at different rooms. Putin is expected to be in the same room with Obama. It is not expected for Erdoğan and Putin to sit next to each other during lunch.President Erdoğan previously stressed that Turkey is not in favor of escalating the tension with Moscow. However, Russian officials have taken a harsh stance by declining Erdoğan's request for a bilateral meeting with Putin during the Climate Summit and cancelling visa-free travel between the two countries, along with various other obstacles in customs and trade procedures.On Nov. 24, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets on an aerial patrol intercepted a Russian warplane within rules of engagement when it violated Turkish airspace near the Syrian border.The Russian warplane received 10 warnings about its violation within five minutes before it was shot down.This was not the first time Russian warplanes had violated Turkish airspace. In October, Russian warplanes violated Turkish airspace after which Russian officials had apologized and pledged that such incidents would not reoccur in the future.