WASSENAAR: TURKEY WILL SUPPORT JOINT STATEMENT ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007445 SIPDIS FOR EUR/WE, NP/ECNP, AND EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2013 TAGS: OPDC PREL ETTC KSTC PARM TU SUBJECT: WASSENAAR: TURKEY WILL SUPPORT JOINT STATEMENT ON MANPADS REF: A. STATE 330283 ¶B. STATE 325046 ¶1. (C) PolMilOff delivered ref A letter and joint statement to MFA Disarmament Head of Department Bulent Meric along with Italian DCM Gianni Piccato December 4. Meric said the GOT had received the joint statement earlier from its mission in Vienna, had decided to support the statement, and had already sent instructions to its mission to convey FM Gul's support for the statement. ¶2. (C) As a country that had suffered fatalities as a result of PKK use of MANPADS against GOT aircraft, Meric said Turkey was very supportive of more stringent regulation of MANPADS export and use. Nevertheless, Meric noted that the Turkish military had some "difficulties" with the working paper being discussed in Vienna. For example, TGS believed the provisions for exporting countries controlling the use of MANPADS by recipient countries were too restrictive and impractical. He noted specifically the requirement to separate part of the MANPADS and store them separately. TGS did support, however, holding exporting countries and companies responsible if their MANPADS fell into the hands of illegal entities. When PolMilOff noted the contradiction between less control by exporters but more accountability, Meric emphasized that this was TGS's position. He dismissed the problem by saying that the negotiators in Vienna would work it out. ¶3. (C) Comment: As it chafes during the annual Stinger inspections conducted by the US, particularly those in northern Cyprus, TGS's belief that exporters should have less control over the storage and use of MANPADS is not surprising. Given Meric's comment that this was only TGS's position and would be worked out in Vienna, Embassy expects the Turks will let consensus form and carry the weight of overriding TGS. EDELMAN