TGS J-5 STRATEGY CHIEF ACCEPTS APRIL JOINT STAFF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001096

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO EUR/SE.

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS OVIP TU
SUBJECT: TGS J-5 STRATEGY CHIEF ACCEPTS APRIL JOINT STAFF
TALKS AND OSD MEETINGS

REF: A. DASD BRZEZINSKI OCT '04 LETTER TO MG ARSLAN


B. RADM LOREN'S JAN. 3 '05 LETTER TO MG ARSLAN


1. Turkish General Staff J-5 Strategy and Force Planning
Department Chief MG Cengiz Arslan submitted to post on Feb.
29 official responses to the Oct. 2004 letter from Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) Brzezinski inviting the
general to visit Washington and to bring officers in his
department for expert-level talks on the Department of
Defense's capabilities-based planning program, and to the
Jan. 3, 2005 letter from JCS Deputy Director for
Political-Military Affairs Rear Admiral Loren extending an
invitation to hold Joint Staff Talks in mid-April '05. The
letters of response confirm MG Arslan's agreement to hold
Joint Staff Talks on April 12-13 and to hold meetings with
DASD Brzezinski on the margins of those talks. Additionally,
General Arslan requests an opportunity to visit the US Joint
Forces Command and the NATO Allied Command Transformation
headquarters in Norfolk, VA. Text of the letters are below.
Originals will follow by mail.


2. Begin Text of letter to RADM Loren:

Donald P. LOREN
Rear Admiral, USN
Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs
Europe, NATO, Russia, Africa

Dear Admiral LOREN,

Thank you for your letter dated 3 January 2005.

Considering the developments that have taken place in
January 2005 which included numerous high-level visits of the
US officials, I was of the opinion that it was the right time
to schedule a high-level meeting rather than Joint Staff
Talks. As you will remember, we previously suggested to
schedule HLDG in April and JST later. Our intention was to
promote Turkish-US consultations.

I still believe this approach had a valid rationale
regarding the urgency of some very crucial issues that needed
to be discussed among us in the light of very important
developments that were and still are taking place in our
region, and effecting vital interest of both parties.

Now that the JST is scheduled to take place on 12-13
April 2005, I also replied to Mr. BRZEZINSKI's October 2004
letter, availing myself for an extended program in the US to
include exchange of information on "capabilities-based"
approach and a visit to US JFC and NATO ACT HQs.

I am looking forward to seeing you in Washington D.C. on
the occasion of JST and discussing with you pertaining issues
in detail as they deserve close attention.

Sincerely,


M. Cengiz ARSLAN
Major General
Head of TGS J-5 Strategy
and Force Planning Department

End Text.


3. Begin Text of letter to DASD Brzezinski:

Ian BRZEZINSKI
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
for Europe and NATO Policy

Dear Mr. BRZEZINSKI,

Thank you very much for your comprehensive proposals
covered in your October letter.

My answer to your kind letter was not easy since the
broad nature of your comprehensive proposals needed staffing
and a broad consideration, besides an event-driven busy
schedule I had in the meantime. Since then, developments
ended up in a mutually agreed Joint Staff Talks, as you well
know.

From the exchange of letter between my staff and the US
Embassy in Ankara, I understand that your proposals might
still be valid in the context of Joint Staff Talks (JST) to
be held in Washington D.C. 12-13 April 2005.

If my understanding is right and if you are available, I
will be delighted to discuss opportunities of extending my
program in the US to find out more about Secretary of
Defense's "capabilities-based" approach to military planning
and his methodology for providing top-down strategic
directive to DoD components for security cooperation. I
believe, taking the opportunity, I could also accommodate a
visit to Norfolk/Virginia to observe activities at US JFC and
NATO's ACT. I am open to discuss scheduling these additional
activities in both ends of the JST.

Once again, please accept my apologies for a late
response and I am looking forward to hearing from you as a
follow-up to your kind proposals in your October letter.

Sincerely,

M. Cengiz ARSLAN
Major General
Head of TGS J-5 Strategy
and Force Planning Department

End Text.
EDELMAN