Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA3463
2003-05-27 15:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKS FIRM IN THEIR SUPPORT FOR "OPTION TWO" FOR

Tags:  MARR MOPS PREL TU 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003463 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKS FIRM IN THEIR SUPPORT FOR "OPTION TWO" FOR
NATO COMMAND RESTRUCTURING

REF: ATHENS 01723


C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003463

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKS FIRM IN THEIR SUPPORT FOR "OPTION TWO" FOR
NATO COMMAND RESTRUCTURING

REF: ATHENS 01723



1. (U) Classified by Political-Military Counselor Stuart
Brown. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).



2. (C) Polmiloff met with Fatih Ceylan, Head of the MFA NATO
and Euro-Atlantic Defense and Security Affairs Department, on
May 22 on the subject of NATO command restructuring. Ceylan
said that Turkey would be ready to approve the restructuring
plan at the NATO Ministerial in June if "Option Two" is the
plan being considered. "Option Two" allots an air component
command to Turkey (Izmir). Ceylan noted that the GOT has
always been opposed to a concentration of headquarters in any
one country, particularly now that the primary security
threats are asymmetrical in nature.



3. (C) Ceylan said the GOT understood that there was a
"gentlemen,s agreement" among Spain, Italy, Greece and
Turkey at the US-hosted Senior Officials Group (SOG) to
support "Option Two." However, Spain and Greece subsequently
emerged with demands for additional NATO facilities. Spain
insists on hosting a Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in
addition to a land headquarters, and Greece wants another
entity, preferably NAVSOUTH, in addition to a CAOC. Ceylan
stressed that the MFA will not accept any plan that deviates
from "Option Two."



4. (C) Embassy Ankara understands that the details of "Option
Two" are as follows:


- SHAPE in Mons, BE;
- Joint Force Commands in Brunssum, NL and Naples, IT; Third
Joint HQ in Lisbon, PO;
- Land Component Commands in Heidelberg, GE and Madrid,
SP;
- Air Component Commands in Ramstein, GE and Izmir, TU;
- Maritime Component Commands in Northwood, UK and Naples, IT;
- CAOCs in Finderup, DA and Larissa, GR with co-located
CAOCs/Deployable CAOCs in Uedem, GE and Poggio Renatico,
IT.




PEARSON