GLOBAL DEFENSE POSTURE (GDP) REVIEW: TURKS NOT

S E C R E T ANKARA 003552 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM A/S BLOOMFIELD, EUR/SE AND EUR/RPM; OSD FOR DASD HOEHN; EUCOM FOR RADM GOODWIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2014 TAGS: MARR PREL TU SUBJECT: GLOBAL DEFENSE POSTURE (GDP) REVIEW: TURKS NOT LIKELY TO HAVE MORE INFORMED JUDGMENT ON STATIONING OF F16S BEFORE NATO SUMMIT REF: ANKARA 3499 Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Eric S. Edelman. Reasons: 1.5 (B and D). ¶1. (S) MFA Deputy U/S Baki Ilkin told the Ambassador June 23 that the Turks would not have a more informed view of the potential request concerning stationing of F-16s in Turkey before the NATO Summit next week. (Note: MFA U/S Ziyal told visiting State PM A/S Bloomfield at the close of their June 17 meeting that he would try to provide us such a view before the Summit, reftel. End note.) Ilkin said there had been discussions between MFA and the Turkish General Staff (TGS) following A/S Bloomfield's meetings, but nothing concrete had materialized thus far. He said there were some things the Turks likely could support; others they might not be able to support. Ilkin said MFA and TGS officials would continue to discuss the potential request involving F-16s, and that the MFA would advise us once it had a more informed view. ¶2. (S) TGS/J5 Strategy Branch Chief Col Erdem told deputy pol-mil counselor earlier June 23 that TGS had spent "a lot of long hours" on the GDP review following A/S Bloomfield's visit. He said TGS was "working hard" on the issue and added that TGS CHOD GEN Ozkok would be a position to have "a very fruitful discussion with GEN Jones" when the two meet on the margins of the NATO Summit. EDELMAN