TURKISH AEGEAN ACTIVITY RETURNING TO 2003 LEVELS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001900

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2024
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR TU GR
SUBJECT: TURKISH AEGEAN ACTIVITY RETURNING TO 2003 LEVELS

REF: A. STATE 56622


B. ANKARA 1103

C. 04 ANKARA 6443

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


1. (C) Summary: 2004 had specific events (Cyprus
negotiations, Olympics, EU Summit) which prompted Ankara to
hold down its flight activity in the Aegean down, but it is
now apparently ramping its activity back up to 2003 levels.
While the Turks see this as returning to normal, the military
is irritated by the incessant Greek complaints, prompting TGS
to post on its web site a counter-complaint of its own. Most
of the complaints come from Greek claims and requirements
which appear contrary to international norms to the Turks.
We have and will continue to council moderation and patience,
and are heartened by both sides' continuing work on CBMs.
End summary.


2. (C) PolMilCouns inquired about Turkish activity in the
Aegean with Turkish General Staff (TGS) J5 Greece/Cyprus
Department head RADM Mucahit Sislioglu on March 30.
Sislioglu confirmed that in February 2005, the number of
Turkish Air Force (TUAF) flights over the Aegean (506) was up
significantly over the previous two months (229 in January,
220 in December),but the intent was merely to "return to
normal." He defined "normal" as the 2003 level, when Turkey
flew roughly 400 sorties/month (a total of 4676 sorties).
This was significantly lower than the 2002 level (6623
sorties),he emphasized. In 2004, air activity was unusually
low, due to suppression of flights at different times during
the year for political reasons: Cyprus negotiations were
early in the year, the Athens Olympics were in the summer,
and the EU Summit that considered when to begin Turkey's
accession negotiations was in December. However, operational
requirements necessitated more frequent training and
exercises than was possible last year, he said.


3. (C) Sislioglu noted that TGS was growing increasingly
irritated by the incessant Greek complaints in the media
about airspace violations that are really just aircraft
entering the Athens FIR (something permitted under ICAO
rules). (He allowed that at times a TUAF plane might
actually violate Greek airspace, but the irritation was not
over complaints about those.) In 2003, Turkey unilaterally
reduced the number of its Aegean flights and began
registering its daily flight schedule with NATO, "which means
Greece also receives it." Greece has not reciprocated with
any positive step, he complained -- Greece still launches
aircraft to intercept Turkish planes and still tags the
Turkish aircraft on their radar as enemies. When he visited
Athens in mid-February, Greek officers admitted that the
Hellenic Air Force releases statistics to the media, thus
feeding the stories. TGS' irritation was sufficient to
warrant a review of whether the 2003 practices should
continue. PolMilCouns counseled patience.


4. (C) On a more positive note, Sislioglu confirmed that the
CBMs he had previewed for us last month (ref b -- mainly
academy and staff colleges exchanges) were progressing. In
addition, the two sides have agreed to a June visit to Greece
by Turkish Land Forces Commander GEN Buyukanit, the Greeks
would send a ship to participate in the Marmaris Festival in
late April, and the Turkish Stars aerobatics team would
perform at an international air show in Tanagra AB (near
Larisa) September 10. Turkish Stars had canceled a scheduled
appearance in Izmir to accommodate the show, Sislioglu
observed.


5. (C) Despite our counsel, TGS on March 31 posted the
following item on its web site, alleging Greek harassment of
Turkish planes and violation of Turkish territorial waters:

Begin informal Embassy translation of TGS text:

Harassment of Greek Warplanes and Violation of Karasuyu
Territorial Water by the Greek Coast Guard Boat
(Appeared in the TGS web site on March 31st)


While Turkish warplanes were carrying out their routine
flights over international air space, which is open for all
state planes in Aegean Sea, for different training purposes
on different times on March 25th, they were prevented by the
Greek armed warplanes and harassed on ground of violating the
FIR.

On the mentioned date, two Greek F-4 planes which had taken
off from Limni Square harassed two Turkish Air Force F-4
planes in international airspace northwest of Chios,
endangering their flight safety by approaching within 1000
feet of them at 12:53.

On the same day, two Greek M-2000 planes which had taken off
from Skyros Square harassed two Turkish F-16 planes in
international airspace west of Chios, endangering their
flight safety by approaching within 1000 feet of them at
13:05. The two Greek M-2000 planes, which took off from
Skyros Square, have violated Turkish airspace in the
Karaburun region between 12:48-12:50. As it is known,
international agreements don't stipulate that state planes
must file flight plans when they fly in international
airspace.
Moreover, a Greek Coast Guard boat violated our territorial
waters in Kardak region at 11:00 on March 30, 2005. A
patrolling Turkish Coast Guard boat went to the said region
and warned the Greek Coast Guard boat to leave the area.
Despite all the warnings, the Greek Coast Guard boat did not
leave the area and continued standing still.

After the mentioned Greek Coast Guard boat finally left the
area towards Kelemez Island at 13:15, the Turkish Coast Guard
boat left the area.

The Turkish Coast Guard boat has acted cautiously not to
cause a crisis and controlled the area without intervening
until the Greek boat left the area.

End text.


6. (C) Comment: Disputes between Turkey and Greece over
Aegean airspace violations are nothing new. We raise the
issue frequently with the GOT. But Greece and Turkey have
different views of air space management -- Athens wants
flight plans for aircraft in its FIR although ICAO rules
exempt national aircraft from the requirement; the Greeks
claim 10 rather than 6 NM of territorial air space although
no one recognizes that claim. Therefore, complaints will
likely continue. And, the Turks are indeed ramping up their
activity after suppressing it for a specific reason -- in
this case, the EU Summit where Turkey's eventual membership
was hanging in the balance. That said, even Greek Embassy
officials in Ankara characterize their periodic formal
protests to MFA as "routine." Despite the exchange of words,
we are encouraged that Ankara and Athens nonetheless seem to
be taking additional, albeit small, steps to expand their
mil-mil contacts. End comment.
EDELMAN