Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA6134
2004-10-28 14:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

AEGEAN ISSUE: TURKS DENY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN

Tags:  PREL PGOV TU GR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006134 

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU GR
SUBJECT: AEGEAN ISSUE: TURKS DENY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN
FLIGHTS, NONETHELESS WILL EXERCISE RESTRAINT

REF: A. ATHENS 3994 (NOTAL)

B. ANKARA 5883 (NOTAL)

Classified By: DCM Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006134

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU GR
SUBJECT: AEGEAN ISSUE: TURKS DENY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN
FLIGHTS, NONETHELESS WILL EXERCISE RESTRAINT

REF: A. ATHENS 3994 (NOTAL)

B. ANKARA 5883 (NOTAL)

Classified By: DCM Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Turkey has not significantly increased
flights in the Aegean and is not seeking confrontation with
Greece, MFA and TGS officials told the embassy. The Turks
provided data which (if accurate) indicate that they have not
in fact significantly increased flights, but merely resumed
normal activity following a unilateral reduction for
July-September for the Olympics and Special Olympics. MFA
Deputy Undersecretary Ilkin told DCM Oct. 27 that Greece is
using this issue to press the Turks to keep flights at a
lower level leading up to the Dec. 17 EU decision on Turkish
accession talks. TGS told us Oct. 28 that the CHOD has
ordered the navy, air force, and coast guard to exercise
restraint leading up to Dec. 17. We believe the Turks have
clearly heard our message to do just that. End summary.


2. (C) On Oct. 27, MFA Deputy Undersecretary for Bilateral
Political Affairs Baki Ilkin gathered officers from German,
Spanish, French, UK, Italian, and U.S. embassies to discuss
recent Greek claims of Turkish infringements and violations
of Greek airspace (ref a). DCM represented Embassy. Ilkin
said that these particular embassies had made inquiries on
this matter either in Ankara or in capitals.

The Turkish Legal Position on the Aegean
--------------


3. (C) Ilkin first asked MFA Deputy Director General for
Maritime and Aviation Affairs Vakur Gokdenizler to brief on
Turkey's overall position on Greek claims of infringements.
Turkey believes that--contrary to Greek claims--every country
has the right to fly military aircraft in international
airspace over the Aegean. Greece insists that Turkish
military aircraft must file flight plans; Turkey maintains
that under the ICAO Convention of 1944, only civilian flights
are required to file. The phrase "Flight Information Region
(FIR) Infringement" is a Greek creation, he maintained.
Additionally, the Athens FIR extends virtually to the entire
western coast of Turkey, meaning almost every flight taking

off near the coast flies into the Athens FIR.


4. (C) Furthermore, Gokdenizler said, Greece claims to have
territorial waters of six nautical miles but also to have
airspace of 10 nautical miles. Turkey does not recognize the
Greek claim. Ilkin added that from time to time Turkish
pilots fly between six and ten nautical miles from Greek
territory to exercise freedom of navigation. Finally,
Gokdenizler noted that Turkish military flights in the Aegean
are far fewer than Greek flights. For example, in 2003 the
Greeks flew about 23,000 sorties, the Turks about 4600.
According to Gokdenizler, 6-7 percent of TUAF flights are
over the Aegean, compared to about 80 percent for the HAF.

Turkey Significantly Cut Flights for the Olympics...
-------------- --------------


5. (C) Gokdenizler then reported that Turkey had committed to
significantly reduce its flights in the Aegean "for the
tourist season" and for the Olympics (August) and Special
Olympics (September). It had done so. For example, in
August 2003 Turkish military flights over the Aegean totaled
294; for August 2004, 126. Turkey also offered its airports
for overflow and emergency air traffic and to exchange
information/intelligence related to security for the
Olympics. In answer to a question from the British DCM,
Ilkin admitted that Turkey did not explicitly inform the GOG
that it intended to resume its previous level of Aegean
flights in October, but countered that Turkey had made clear
that its unilateral reduction was a temporary measure for
July-September. On claims of Turkish overflight of Greek
islands, Ilkin responded that it might have happened, but
only by accident or because a Turkish pilot may have been
forced to overfly as the result of a "simulated dogfight."

...and Believe Greeks Want Reduction to be Permanent
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Ilkin said that he did not know why Greece was raising
this issue now publicly, but he assumes it is because Greece
would prefer the level of Turkish flights to remain at
July-September levels and that the GOG is seeking to use the
"critical period" from now until Dec. 17--when EU leaders
will decide whether and when to begin accession negotiations
with Turkey--to pressure the GOT to maintain a level of
activity similar to July-Sept. 2004.


7. (C) Ilkin said that in addition to the normal channels,
four special diplomatic channels exist for the two countries
to work on Aegean issues. But, Ilkin complained, the Greeks
have chosen to hash this one out in public by using press
leaks rather than diplomatic channels. Ilkin said the Turks
have sought to have both sides reduce flights proportionally,
but have not made progress on this.


8. (C) On Imia/Kardak, Gokdenizler said that the following is
standard Turkish practice: There are actually two islets in
this group. When a Greek vessel moves to the eastern side of
the eastern islet (i.e., between the islets and Turkish
territory),the Turks will respond by moving a vessel to the
western side of the western islet (i.e., between the islets
and Greek territory) for the duration the Greek vessel
remains in place.


9. (C) DCM said that the USG continues to support progress
between Greece and Turkey on the Aegean issue in order to
reduce tensions. He emphasized that we are in a critical
period up to Dec. 17, and urged that both sides work to
reduce tensions to allow "smooth sailing" as that date
approaches.

CHOD Has Ordered Restraint
--------------


10. (C) POLMILCOUNS raised the reports of Aegean incidents
with TGS/J5 Cyprus/Aegean Division Chief RADM Mucahit
Sislioglu on October 28. Sislioglu confirmed what
Gokdenizler said, that Turkey would dispatch a Coast Guard
vessel to the western side of Imia/Kardak whenever the Greeks
send one to the eastern side. Since 1996, he continued, the
Turkish Coast Guard periodically would send a vessel to the
western side of Imia/Kardak so as not to relinquish Ankara's
claim to the area. For over a year (i.e., since before
Sislioglu came to his current position),the standard was to
conduct such a passage once a month. There have been three
such passages since August, he said. Whenever Turkey does
this, the Greek side sends a vessel to the eastern side of
the islets. Since the distances are so short, the two
vessels are often at opposite sides of Imia/Kardak at the
same time, although they do not come in contact with each
other. In response to a question, he affirmed that if the
Greek vessel was slow in arriving, the Turks would not then
send another vessel -- if the Turks have gone to the western
side, they expect the Greeks to respond and take no further
measure themselves.


11. (C) Regarding airspace violations, Sislioglu said the
Turkish side has continued to exercise restraint, with the
number of flights in the Aegean down in 2004 compared to
2003, even excluding the months around the Olympics when
activity was deliberately held to a minimum. TGS/J3 had that
morning compiled the data and had forwarded it to MFA with a
recommendation that it be used in refuting Greek claims.
(Comment: We requested the data from MFA and received it.
We forwarded it via email to EUR/SE and Embassy Athens.)
Sislioglu had no information with which to confirm nor deny
stories in the Greek press about overflights of islands. He
said he had doubts about the story of a simulated bombing run
over two Hellenic Navy vessels. He voiced the usual Turkish
complaints about the GOG's excessive use of NOTAMs (Notices
to Airman and Mariners),warning aircraft and ships away from
close to 20 percent of the Aegean. Occasionally, TUAF
aircraft passed through these areas and that may have been
what happened in the case of these ships. These were troop
carrying ships, he asserted, without the kind of radar that
would permit the ships to discern the altitude of approaching
aircraft. They may have just been flying low and startled
the ships' crews, he suggested. He accepted POLMILCOUNS'
observation that other Greek radar in the area could have
documented the altitude and flight path of the fighters.


12. (C/NF) Sislioglu confided that when the Greeks first
protested to the GOT on Oct. 20, many senior Turkish military
officer became angry. Since the Turkish activity was seen as
routine, they suspected Athens was trying to make trouble.
MFA officials worked to calm them down. Repeatedly stressing
the confidentiality of this information, Sislioglu (please
protect) said that MFA succeeded and that earlier Oct. 28 TGS
Chief General Ozkok signed an order to the Air Force, Navy
and Coast Guard that they should exercise restraint in their
Aegean operations in the run-up to the EU decision in
December. To ensure they understood the message, Sislioglu
said he called the Navy to explain that there should be no
more patrols sent to the western side of Imia/Kardak in 2004.
While POLMILCOUNS was with Sislioglu, the Turkish Navy's
confirmation of receipt of the order arrived. POLMILCOUNS
told Sislioglu that was the right reaction and expressed
appreciation for efforts to calm the situation.

Comment: Turks Have Done Their Part
--------------


13. (C) Comment: Assuming a confirmatory NATO RAP (Recognized
Air Picture),the data from the Turks suggest that the Turks
have generally maintained a lower level of air activity
throughout 2004, especially during the summer months. From
Oct. 1 through Oct. 27 of 2004, the Turks flew 206 sorties, a
reasonable number given that they flew 393 in October 2003.
2003 sorties overall averaged 389 (the monthly average for
January-August 2004 was 198). The "tension" over flights in
the Aegean is a recurring theme. The Turks have certainly
gotten the message from us that they should not be
confrontational on this issue; we expect this chapter in the
Aegean saga should be closed, for now.


14. (C) That said, it appears that overall progress on
settling the Aegean issue is stalled. The Turks told us a
month ago that the Greeks are not ready to conclude a
comprehensive agreement, and that the senior Greek negotiator
was backpedaling on items the Turks thought were settled (ref
b). We continue to have an interest in seeing the issues
settled with clear rights for international passage (air and
sea) and an end to cyclical tensions. Perhaps the Dec. 17 EU
summit decisions will yield an environment conducive to
progress.
EDELMAN