OPEN SKIES QUOTA SHARING - TURKEY LIKELY TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003262 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SE AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2015 TAGS: PARM PREL TU OSCE SUBJECT: OPEN SKIES QUOTA SHARING - TURKEY LIKELY TO ACCOMMODATE USG DATE CHANGE, GRUDGINGLY REF: A. STATE 99935 ¶B. OSCE 257 Classified By: Charge d'Affairs James R. Moore, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) . ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In discussions with the Turkish General Staff (TGS) and MFA on the Open Skies Shared Quota, Acting PolMilCouns and Acting DATT discovered a large gap between the US and Turkish interpretation of the original agreement for a shared June flight which may have led to the recent impasse over the US request to postpone the mission. In TGS' view, the US offer to share a quota under US terms did not meet the definition of "shared." MFA personnel said the shared quota in question was actually a Turkish quota and, for that reason, Turkey expected to take the lead in mission planning and to determine other modalities. While both TGS and the MFA expressed disappointment at the impasse and considered re-scheduling the shared flight to be a challenge, the MFA assured EmbOffs that Turkey considers the Shared Quota issue a technical matter that the government would like to resolve. TGS already has shared flights scheduled with Germany and Ukraine during the July and August weeks the US offered but is reviewing its options in an attempt to quickly identify a workable time slot. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) In a June 7 meeting, TGS Disarmament and International Security Department Head BG Ethem Haldun Solmazturk responded to reftel A points by saying that, in his estimation, there had been very little discussion between the US and Turkey regarding the mission plan and operational modalities for the proposed June 13-17 flights. Waving his English Dictionary, he said he understood the term "shared" very clearly and questioned how a mission planned solely by the US met the definition of "shared," adding that all Open Skies member countries must share with all countries the information gathered during these flights. He opined that the purpose of the shared quota flights was to build goodwill and to demonstrate partnership with other Open Skies countries. What was in it for Turkey if it had no involvement in the mission planning? ¶3. (C) Solmazturk also questioned the US request to use a US plane to conduct the flights, saying that the Open Skies agreement specifically defines the type of plane to be used in conducting these flights and there should be no advantage to using a US plane versus a Turkish plane. Solmazturk said Turkey had conducted several shared flights with Germany and never run into the same communication problems and suggested it was easier to work with Uzbekistan, where the President made all the decisions. According to the General, TGS' unhappiness with the perceived lack of cooperation had led it to request the MFA to formally notify the US of Turkey's concerns and to request a meeting in Vienna -- which he said was to take place this week -- to iron out a solution. (Note: Post never received a demarche to this effect. Our only communication with the MFA on this issue was at post's request to discuss reftel A points. End Note.) ¶4. (C) Regarding the US request to switch the shared quota from June to August 15-19 (or secondarily to July 25-29) Solmazturk called the process to change a quota difficult and complicated, particularly when it involves switching between quarters. However, when EmbOffs said the US would take care of the notification process, Solmazturk switched gears and asked how Turkey could be sure that the US would include Turkey in planning for an August exercise given the perceived lack of coordination on the proposed June exercise. EmbOffs indicated USG interest in working with Turkey on planning for an August mission and urged TGS' immediate acceptance of the August (or July) date in order for the modalities to worked in Vienna at the soonest opportunity. After venting his frustration and exhausting his arguments against a change in the date, Solmazturk thanked EmbOffs for the visit, welcomed regular communication on the Open Skies issue and pledged TGS' effort to work out a suitable arrangement. ¶5. (C) In an MFA meeting on June 8, Arms Control and Disarmament Department Head Osman Yavuzalp, who has been in his position less than two months, told EmbOffs he had just learned about the Open Skies issue. According to Yavuzalp, the Turkish government considers the Shared Quota arrangement to be a technical issue for TGS to resolve. The MFA, while disappointed that Turkey and the US have not been able to resolve the modalities of a shared flight, and that the US never responded to Turkey's draft "protocol" document on the shared quota that was submitted to the US Verification Center, did not want to turn this into a political issue. Turkey already has a shared flight scheduled with Germany during the July time frame offered by the US and with Ukraine during the August time frame (Note: BG Solmazturk never mentioned this; the MFA's information on the Ukraine flight is at a slight variance with information contained in ref b. End Note.) but, because the government believes it is important to share a quota with the US, TGS is working to identify a compromise solution, which Yavuzalp expected would be presented to the US within the week. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Sitting in on the MFA meeting was an unnamed "advisor" on the Open Skies issue who had participated in the February talks in Vienna. According to this individual, Turkey considers the shared quota in question to be a Turkish quota. For that reason, he said, Turkey had expected to take the lead on mission planning, to offer a plane, etc. While BG Solmazturk never suggested the quota belonged to Turkey, the comments of both officials do suggest a gap in understanding between the US and Turkey on the mechanics of the quota sharing process. END COMMENT. MOORE