Bashar al-Assad, the embattled Syrian president, has given a rare interview to Turkish journalist Utkur Cakirozer from the Istanbul-based Cumhuriyet newspaper. The interview comes weeks after Syria downed a Turkish jet that it says was in Syrian airspace, an incident that has heightened tensions between the two neighbours.

Since the protests against Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011, Turkey has cut off all diplomatic and trade relations with Syria.

Utkur Cakirozer: Did you or your administration give the order to shoot down the Turkish jet?  How was it hit?

Bashar al-Assad: Here we have to ask logical questions. There are two options: either, as they [Turkish authorities] claim, we knowingly shot it down. Or, we shot it out of the Syrian airspace by mistake... Read the full interview here.