Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA2709
2003-04-25 14:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
EXBS: TURKS REJECT AGREEMENT ARTICLES: NEXT STEPS
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002709
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NP/KATHY CROUCH
ENERGY FOR SLD
USCS/INA FOR DHARRELL
ROME FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2013
TAGS: ETTC KSTC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKS REJECT AGREEMENT ARTICLES: NEXT STEPS
REF: A. ANKARA 2374
B. STATE 29502
(U) Classified by Political-Military Counselor Stuart
Brown. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002709
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NP/KATHY CROUCH
ENERGY FOR SLD
USCS/INA FOR DHARRELL
ROME FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2013
TAGS: ETTC KSTC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKS REJECT AGREEMENT ARTICLES: NEXT STEPS
REF: A. ANKARA 2374
B. STATE 29502
(U) Classified by Political-Military Counselor Stuart
Brown. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3.
2. (C) Polmiloff on April 25 spoke with MFA/Disarmament
Second Secretary Aykut Kumbaroglu to inquire if there had
been any further movement on Turkey's objection to three
articles of our proposed Export Control and Related Border
Security Assistance (EXBS) Program agreement (ref a).
Kumbaroglu informed us that Turkey's position was firm in
that the articles are not in conformity with Turkish
legislation. Polmiloff then asked if the GOT could suggest
acceptable alternative language. He replied that such an
exercise was futile as the entirety of the three articles
were problematic and could not be fixed by wordsmithing the
language. He then went on to say the MFA assumed the
Agreement was a "template" one presented by the USG to
several governments with no negotiating process or
country-specific considerations. Thus, no regard had been
given to Turkey's specific legislative obstacles. He
proposed once again that Turkey and the US continue to
cooperate with "purpose-oriented projects" without an
extensive, overarching agreement. Polmiloff informed
Kumbaroglu that the Department's position is that further
equipment installation and other EXBS program projects cannot
go forward absent the GOT's signing the proposed agreement.
Polmiloff asked Kumbaroglu to convey this information to his
Department Head.
3. (C) Action Request: Post requests the Department's
guidance on next steps. It would seem that we need either
bilateral negotiations with the GOT to overcome Turkey's
specific legislative obstacles or we need to consider the GOT
recommendation to proceed on a project-by-project basis,
short of an overarching EXBS agreement. Please advise.
PEARSON
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NP/KATHY CROUCH
ENERGY FOR SLD
USCS/INA FOR DHARRELL
ROME FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2013
TAGS: ETTC KSTC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKS REJECT AGREEMENT ARTICLES: NEXT STEPS
REF: A. ANKARA 2374
B. STATE 29502
(U) Classified by Political-Military Counselor Stuart
Brown. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3.
2. (C) Polmiloff on April 25 spoke with MFA/Disarmament
Second Secretary Aykut Kumbaroglu to inquire if there had
been any further movement on Turkey's objection to three
articles of our proposed Export Control and Related Border
Security Assistance (EXBS) Program agreement (ref a).
Kumbaroglu informed us that Turkey's position was firm in
that the articles are not in conformity with Turkish
legislation. Polmiloff then asked if the GOT could suggest
acceptable alternative language. He replied that such an
exercise was futile as the entirety of the three articles
were problematic and could not be fixed by wordsmithing the
language. He then went on to say the MFA assumed the
Agreement was a "template" one presented by the USG to
several governments with no negotiating process or
country-specific considerations. Thus, no regard had been
given to Turkey's specific legislative obstacles. He
proposed once again that Turkey and the US continue to
cooperate with "purpose-oriented projects" without an
extensive, overarching agreement. Polmiloff informed
Kumbaroglu that the Department's position is that further
equipment installation and other EXBS program projects cannot
go forward absent the GOT's signing the proposed agreement.
Polmiloff asked Kumbaroglu to convey this information to his
Department Head.
3. (C) Action Request: Post requests the Department's
guidance on next steps. It would seem that we need either
bilateral negotiations with the GOT to overcome Turkey's
specific legislative obstacles or we need to consider the GOT
recommendation to proceed on a project-by-project basis,
short of an overarching EXBS agreement. Please advise.
PEARSON