TFIZ01: TURKEY REOPENS FLIGHT CORRIDOR FOR CRUISE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002025 SIPDIS STATE FOR P, NEA/NGA, EUR/SE, PMAT E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU IZ SUBJECT: TFIZ01: TURKEY REOPENS FLIGHT CORRIDOR FOR CRUISE MISSILE FLIGHTS (u) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5 (B and D). (C) The Turkish General Staff (TGS) notified Task Force-North late March 26 that Turkish airspace would be re-opened to Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) operations effective March 27. Operations had been suspended temporarily 3/23 pending the results of an investigation into the 3/23 incident in which two Tomahawk missiles that were launched from a ship in the Mediterranean had landed near Viransehir, Turkey. A joint US-Turkish team concluded its investigation of the incidents 3/26. The first TLAM landed in the side of a hill, approximately 500 feet from a small village. The second TLAM landed in relatively flat terrain, approximately 500 feet from a different village. There were no injuries and only limited property damage. The US military has paid a claim in the amount of $900.00 in accordance with existing claims procedures. The TLAM parts have been recovered from the sites and are expected to depart Turkey via USN C-9 March ¶27. PEARSON