TURKEY TO CONSIDER HELO CONTRIBUTION TO ISAF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007279

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2013
TAGS: MARR AF TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY TO CONSIDER HELO CONTRIBUTION TO ISAF


REF: A. STATE 317086

B. ANKARA 6734


(U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires Robert Deutsch, reasons
1.5, b/d.



1. (C) PolMilOff delivered reftel demarche requesting
additional helos to meet NATO's SOR for ISAF to MFA South
Asia Head of Department Ergin Soner November 18. Soner noted
the requirements, agreeing that meeting the SOR in order to
go to the next stage of expanding ISAF outside Kabul and
supporting the PRTs was very important. He promised to pass
the request to TGS, which he speculated would positively
consider the request. PolMilOff also delivered the points to
TGS/J-3 CPT (Navy) Sinan Sinani, who said it was the first he
had heard of the issue. Sinani declined to speculate on
whether TGS would be inclined to support the request.



2. (C) Comment: We understand that GEN Myers raised the
issue with TGS Chief GEN Ozkok in Brussels recently and that
Ozkok was noncommittal. MFA NATO DDG Sanivar Kizildeli said
recently (ref B) the GOT would like to contribute more to
PKOs in general and is trying to reform the GOT's onerous
legislative requirements to give the GOT more flexibility in
doing so. Perhaps with no imminent plan to deploy its forces
to Iraq, Ankara will be willing to ante up for Afghanistan.
EDELMAN