Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ANKARA1319
2005-03-11 05:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

GOT PROTESTS PORT VISIT BY US NAVY TO RHODES

Tags:  PREL MOPS MARR GR TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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 001319 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SE AND PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2015
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR GR TU
SUBJECT: GOT PROTESTS PORT VISIT BY US NAVY TO RHODES

REF: 2003 ANKARA 140

Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Tim Betts, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001319

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SE AND PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2015
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR GR TU
SUBJECT: GOT PROTESTS PORT VISIT BY US NAVY TO RHODES

REF: 2003 ANKARA 140

Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Tim Betts, reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (U) The Embassy received on March 8 a Diplomatic Note
dated March 4 regarding a Jan. 22-25 port visit to the island
of Rhodes by the US Navy ship The Sullivans-DDG 68
(DDG-Guided Missile Destroyer). Text is at para. 3.


2. (C) COMMENT: We believe this is the first formal protest
by the GOT about a USN ship visit to Rhodes in almost two
years (see reftel). The GOT position as described in the
Diplomatic Note is consistent with Ankara's long-standing
position that any activity by an official military body,
including port visits, is a violation of the 1947 treaty.
Turkish officials well understand our differences over the
interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Paris Peace
Treaty, yet periodically believe they must restate their
position. END COMMENT.


3. (U) BEGIN TEXT OF MFA NOTE NO. 2005/DHGY/90426:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States
of America and has the honour to bring the following to the
kind attention of the Embassy.

The Ministry has been informed that the US navy vessel, THE
SULLIVAN-68, paid a visit to the Island of Rhodes between
22-25 January 2005.

The Ministry would like to emphasize that Rhodes and other
Dodecanese islands have been placed under a permanent
demilitarized status by the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty which
excludes all forms of military presence and activities on the
said islands including port visits by naval vessels.

Therefore, the Ministry requests the US Government to
continue supporting the regime elaborated in the l947 Paris
Peace Treaty.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of
the United States of America the assurances of its highest
consideration.

Ankara, 4 March 2005

END TEXT.





EDELMAN