TURKEY AND THIRD COUNTRY TRANSFERS: REQUEST FOR

UNCLAS ANKARA 001448 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PM/RSTA, EUR, L E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS TU SUBJECT: TURKEY AND THIRD COUNTRY TRANSFERS: REQUEST FOR DETAILED LIST OF INFORMATION REQUIRED TO PROCESS REQUESTS ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para 4. ¶2. (U) During the February 18 US-Turkey Joint Staff Talks in Ankara, Turkish Air Force officers expressed interest in exploring ways the US and Turkey could expedite the processing of Turkey's requests to provide US-origin equipment and services (including training) to third countries. We responded positively to TUAF's request and have offered to meet with GOT officials. ¶3. (U) One of our objectives during the meeting will be to outline what steps the GOT can take to expedite processing of third-country requests. One of the first suggestions that we intend to offer involves information. In our experience, GOT requests oftentimes do not contain all of the necessary information the Department requires to process the request. As a result, the Department oftentimes asks for additional information before it can continue processing the request. This leads to delays and frustrations on both sides. ¶4. (U) Action request: In order to help the Turks help themselves, we request the Department provide us a detailed list of the information the GOT needs to include with its requests to transfer US-origin equipment or services (including training) to a third country. This will allow us to better "educate" the GOT on what information the Department and other agencies require to process Turkey's requests, and reduce the instances where we are required to stop the review process and go back to the Turks to request additional information. It is especially important that we be able to provide the Turkish Air Force detailed and consistent guidance for those requests involving training. As we recently observed in the case involving TUAF's desire to provide F-16 training to Chilean pilots, these cases receive high-level attention within the GOT and, if not processed in a timely and consistent manner, can lead to unnecessary irritants in the US-Turkish defense relationship. EDELMAN