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French ambassador summoned by Moscow over French jet’s alleged approach to Russian diplomatic plane

PHOTO: Gonzalo Fuentes / Reuters

The French Ambassador to Russia has been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry after a French Air Force warplane allegedly came dangerously close to a Russian aircraft carrying State Duma speaker Sergey Naryshkin.

Ambassador to Russia Jean-Maurice Ripert was asked to explain why a French Air Force jet alleged approached Russian passenger plane bound for Switzerland, which was carrying a parliamentary delegation headed by Naryshkin, the diplomatic mission reported.

Deep concern has been voiced over the incident,” the Russian ministry said, “This could undermine trust with Paris and prevent it from hosting major political events.

Naryshkin and the Russian parliamentary delegation were on their way to Geneva where the 133rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union is currently taking place.

The French Defense Ministry denies breaking any aviation rules, claiming that no French aircraft were involved in the incident. The French Foreign Ministry alleges the jet that came dangerously close to the Russian plane was in fact Swiss.

Suspicion fell on France’s Air Force as Geneva’s airport is located not far from Switzerland’s border with France.

It’s a Swiss aircraft,” a French foreign ministry official said.

There is still no information regarding the alleged incident, but an investigation is in progress, a Geneva airport representative, Bernard Stampfli said.

State Duma speaker Naryshkin confirmed that he was aware of the incident. He did not see the jet himself, but the delegation noticed it as the plane came in to land in Geneva, he said at the Assembly.

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