DAS KENNEDY DISCUSSES AEGEAN ISSUES WITH TURKISH

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006443 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2014 TAGS: GR MOPS PREL TU SUBJECT: DAS KENNEDY DISCUSSES AEGEAN ISSUES WITH TURKISH MFA DEPUTY U/S ILKIN REF: A. ANKARA 6209 ¶B. ANKARA 6134 Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary: DAS Laura Kennedy and Embassy Ankara DCM discussed the latest round of Turkish/Greek Aegean negotiations on November 12 with Turkish MFA Deputy U/S Baki Ilkin. Ilkin gave a readout of the status of Turkish/Greek negotiations on the Aegean, having just returned from Athens. Ilkin detailed a number of Turkish proposals designed to ease tensions over Aegean military flights. He said the Greeks rejected all of them. DAS Kennedy and DCM said both sides should exercise maximum restraint and keep working on Aegean confidence building measures. End Summary. FIR Issues -------------- ¶2. (S) Deputy U/S Ilkin (this was his last day in that capacity; he will become Turkey's PermRep at the UN) had just returned from Turkish/Greek Aegean negotiations in Athens. (Note: He asked us not to pass on this readout to anyone else, particularly the Greeks. End Note.) He reviewed the history of the Greek Flight Information Region (FIR),which he said is an administrative demarcation, not a demarcation of sovereignty. Nevertheless, the Greeks can and do monitor and intercept Turkish military flights in the FIR. ¶3. (S) Ilkin said Turkey wants to resolve Flight Information Region (FIR) and airspace issues together with all other Aegean issues. The Greeks want to keep the two separate because, he asserted, they believe they will lose if the FIR issue goes to the International Court of Justice. The term the Greeks use for Turkey's supposed violations -- "FIR infringement by military aircraft" -- is not a term recognized in international aviation law. Turks Return to Normal Sorties After Unilateral Reduction -------------- -------------- ¶4. (S) Ilkin reiterated that Turkey unilaterally decreased military flights for the Olympics and Special Olympics in Athens. After the Olympics, Turkey returned to normal levels. According to Ilkin, Greece flies five times the number of Aegean sorties Turkey flies. The Greeks, he insisted, want to keep Turkish military flights at Olympic levels. Turks Claim Greeks Reject Proposals -------------- ¶5. (S) Ilkin detailed measures the Turkish military had taken to try to avoid incidents: -- The Turkish military began filing flights with NATO for the FIR two years ago. However, the Greeks are demanding specific overflight requests with even more details, including the coordinates of entry points. -- Turkish planes had unilaterally stopped carrying arms in the hope the Greeks would do the same. The Greeks continued to fly armed, and the Turks have returned to flying armed from time to time. -- The Turks activate friend/foe identification systems when they are in the FIR, although the Greeks refuse to do so. -- Since last year, the Turks proposed mutual reduction in the number of sorties; the Greeks repeatedly rejected the idea. -- The Turks proposed that in-air recognition procedures become more "discrete", i.e., limiting the distances and altitudes within which planes may approach each other, and limiting the duration of recognition procedures; the Greeks rejected that as well. Ilkin was especially worried that "close" recognition procedures could lead to incidents. -- On this trip, Ilkin proposed direct communication between Turkish and Greek air operations centers any time either side has questions; the Greeks said they would consider the idea. Ilkin thinks this would be the best way to avoid incidents. He expressed frustration that Aegean issues had recently been "aired" in the media instead of between the two sides. ¶6. (C) Both DAS Kennedy and DCM told Ilkin the U.S. wants both sides to exercise maximum restraint in the Aegean; Ilkin replied that is why he had gone to Athens. Kennedy urged Ilkin to keep working with the Greeks on confidence building measures. She agreed that contact between operations centers would be a good safety valve. ¶7. (C) Comment: We understand Greece has approached the EU Presidency to seek inclusion of Aegean issues in the December 17 EU decision on Turkey's candidacy. The 1999 Helsinki Conclusions urged candidate states to bring international border disputes and related issues to the International Court of Justice. That should remain the mantra for Aegean issues. If the GoG believes Turkish air activity in the Aegean violates interational law but continues to reject proposals to minimize tensions, we should urge them to take their case to court. End Comment. EDELMAN