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