C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006412

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EUR/SE


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2013
TAGS: MOPS PREL MCAP MASS TU
SUBJECT: GOT DENIES SUPER COBRA FLEW OVER CYPRUS SEPTEMBER 9

REF: A. ANKARA 6343

B. STATE 283076


(U) Classified by PolMil Counselor Timothy A. Betts.
Reasons: 1.5 (b) and (d).



1. (C) MFA Acting DDG for Greece and Cyprus Levent Bilman
told PolMilCouns on October 14 that after our demarche on
UNFICYP's sighting of a Turkish AH-1W Super Cobra attack
helicopter on September 9, MFA checked with both the Turkish
Embassy in Nicosia and TGS. Both denied such a flight could
have occurred, asserting that Turkey has not dispatched
AH-1Ws to the island since 1997. Bilman said that after
receiving this answer, he went back to TGS to ask about
flight operations on September 9 and was again told that
there were no Super Cobras on the island.



2. (C) It was odd, Bilman continued, that neither UNFICYP
nor the Cypriot delegation in New York had complained to
Turkey about the alleged incident. "Normally, they do," he
said. He asked that we reconfirm our information. If there
were no flight, he said, the incident should not be included
in the UNFICYP renewal report. PolMilCouns said he would
relay the information.
EDELMAN