1. (U) This is an action request. See para 3.




2. (C) During his initial meeting with TGS Deputy Chief
General Mehmet Ilker Basbug on October 2 (septel), the
Ambassador informed the general that the US response to the
Turkish proposed dates of November 17-19 for the next High
Level Defense Group (HLDG) meeting was complicated by the
imminent departure from government service of ASD Crouch who
would normally chair the US side at the meeting. SECDEF had
reviewed the options and had chosen DASD Mira Ricardel to
serve as acting ASD until the lengthy process of confirming a
permanent successor could be completed. As Basbug had
earlier extolled the value of the HLDG and the need to use it
to improve Turkey-US mil-mil relations, the Ambassador
encouraged the general to consider going forward with the
meeting in November; the alternative (of waiting for a
permanent successor) would likely require waiting until at
least sometime in the spring next year. Basbug asked for a
formal response to the Turkish dates which he could consider.




3. (C) Action request: Although Basbug, who heads the
Turkish side at the HLDG, did not agree on the spot, neither
did he reject the idea of holding the meeting with an acting
ASD out of hand. We therefore recommend that Dr. Crouch
write a letter proposing then-A/ASD Ricardel and Basbug
convene the HLDG sometime during the week of November 17-22,
as TGS proposed. Simultaneously, Dr. Crouch might call
Basbug to express his regrets at missing the HLDG, and to
encourage Basbug's acceptance.
EDELMAN