Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA6261
2004-11-04 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKEY DECLINES INVITATION TO AUSTRALIAN PSI

Tags:  KNNP MNUC PARM PREL ETTC TU 
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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 ANKARA 006261 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2029
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL ETTC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY DECLINES INVITATION TO AUSTRALIAN PSI
MEETING

REF: A. ANKARA 5380

B. ANKARA 5015

C. STATE 188228

Classified By: PolMil Counselor Timothy A. Betts. Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006261

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2029
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL ETTC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY DECLINES INVITATION TO AUSTRALIAN PSI
MEETING

REF: A. ANKARA 5380

B. ANKARA 5015

C. STATE 188228

Classified By: PolMil Counselor Timothy A. Betts. Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) MFA Disarmament and Arms Control Deputy DG Haluk
Ilicak told the Australian Embassy on November 2 that Turkey
would not participate in the PSI Intelligence Break-out
Session of the Operational Experts Group that is scheduled to
occur in Sydney Nov.30-Dec.2, according to Australian DCM
Derek Brown. Brown told PolMilCouns on Nov.3 that Ilicak had
informed the Australians that Turkey would not participate in
PSI activities outside of neighboring regions (e.g., Europe,
Middle East, Caucasus) until either Turkey was accepted into
the PSI Core Group or the Core Group ceased to exist. The
Australians suggested that the Turks send an observer from
their Embassy in Canberra, but Ilicak replied that sending
anyone other than qualified experts would be a waste of time
for not only the Turks, but also the Australian hosts.


2. (C) Comment: Ilicak's reported comments are consistent
with what he told us after hearing that the USG would not
support Turkish membership in the PSI Core Group (reftels).
While a Turkish defense attache reportedly observed the PSI
exercise last month in Japan, our experience with Turkish
observers--as opposed to real experts from Ankara--at
previous expert group meetings suggests Ilicak's reasoning is
sound--they contributed nothing to the meetings and created
confusion in Ankara with their reports on issues they did not
understand. End Comment.

EDELMAN