AEGEAN: TURKS ASSERT THAT THEY ARE DOING "NOTHING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006442

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2029
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR TU GR
SUBJECT: AEGEAN: TURKS ASSERT THAT THEY ARE DOING "NOTHING
ABNORMAL"

REF: A. ANKARA 6209


B. ATHENS 4096

Classified By: Ambassador Eric S. Edelman. Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador raised Greek complaints about
territorial air space violations by Turkish aircraft with TGS
DCHOD GEN Ilker Basbug and MFA U/S Ali Tuygan on November 18.
They both said that they understood the need for restraint,
asserting that they were doing "nothing abnormal." They
both were annoyed by the Greek complaints. Basbug implied
that he believed the Greeks were attempting to use the EU
process to ratchet down Turkish ability to fly in the Aegean.
Tuygan surmised that the Greeks were returning to "an old
pattern of behavior," rebuffing every Turkish overture. End
Summary.


2. (C) The Ambassador raised Aegean flights with GEN Basbug
November 18 on the margins of a meeting with visiting DSCA
Director Lt.Gen. Kohler. Basbug remained calm but was
clearly bristling by the time the Ambassador finished with
his presentation on the need for restraint in the Aegean.
Basbug responded that he understood the point. Nothing had
changed since the Ambassador and he had last discussed this
issue (ref A). The Turks were doing "nothing abnormal" in
their flight patterns in the Aegean, he said. Their levels
were down and explicit orders had been given to avoid
trouble. This issue was being manipulated by the Greeks for
reasons he could not understand (although he went on to imply
that the Greeks were attempting to ratchet down Turkish
ability to fly in the Aegean via the EU process). The Greeks
had sent a note to SHAPE on this that was not only filled
with falsehoods but was insulting in its tone. It allegedly
says that "all NATO nations with the notable exception of one
- Turkey - had assisted Greece with Olympic Security."
Basbug noted that "they said this knowing everything we did"
to help with the Olympics.


3. (C) Later November 18, the Ambassador raised the same
issue with Tuygan. Tuygan said that "the Greeks,
unfortunately and regrettably, are returning to an old
pattern of behavior on this issue." The Turks, he noted, had
briefed us in detail on the various efforts they had been
making on both the maritime and aviation issues via the
Ziyal-Skopelitis channel and the Ilkin-Apakan efforts.
Unfortunately the Greeks had said no to everything the Turks
had offered but still seemed to want to make an issue.


4. (C) Tuygan said that the Greeks were attempting to use the
run up to December 17 to "make mischief on this issue and
perhaps others as well." The GOT, he said, recognized that
they should not give any pretext to the Greeks in this regard
and was intent on not doing so. As both MFA and TGS had told
us previously the requisite orders had been issued. That
being said, Tuygan observed that "if the Greeks are intent on
making this an issue there is not much we can do about it.
For instance, he noted, when the Turkish Charge was recently
summoned to the MFA in Athens to receive a "'strong
demarche'" on the subject, it was being carried on wire
service reports before he arrived at the Ministry. How are
we suppose to manage that?" he asked.

EDELMAN