*ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said Turkeywas ready to do its part to de-escalate tension between Pakistan and India.*
Addressing a campaign rally in Trabzon, he hailed Pakistan’s move inhanding over an Indian pilot downed in the recent tension, adding that helooked forward to seeing similar steps from India.
Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Varma said India would notaccept any offer of mediation.
Tension between both the neighbouring countries escalated after, twofighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were shot down by the PakistanAir Force (PAF) in broad day light on February 27.
Turkey had categorically announced to stand by Pakistan and its people inthe pace of Indian aggression.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu expressed these sentiments duringhis telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The FM Qureshi had on February 27 said that the UN secretary general alsotelephoned him and while expressing concern over the current situationassured to play his role in whatever way and manner he could.