APPROACHING TURKEY ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF F-16

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003843 SIPDIS DEPT FOR PM/RSAT - TODD HUGHES, EUR/SE, SA/PB, SA/RA - BOB WILKINSON/FRED MILLER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2015 TAGS: MASS TU PK SUBJECT: APPROACHING TURKEY ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF F-16 AIRCRAFT REF: STATE 117933 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (B) a nd (D). ¶1. (C) Charge raised the issue of Turkey transferring F-16 aircraft to Pakistan (reftel) with Minister of Defense Vecdi Gonul during their initial meeting on June 30. Gonul thought the prospect was a good opportunity, noting the need to be supportive of Pakistan in general. ¶2. (C) PolMilCouns and PolMilOff followed up with MFA Acting Deputy Director General for South Asia Murat Ulku later June 30, and with TGS acting J5 MG Cengiz Arslan on July 1. They added that some modification of Turkish F-16s might be necessary if the Turkish models were more advanced than the technology releasable to the Pakistanis. Neither had yet received the report of the Charge's meeting with the minister. Ulku asked who would pay for modifications if they were necessary. PolMilCouns suggested that the cost would need to be factored into whatever arrangements were made with Pakistan. Ulku undertook to inform his superiors immediately of our points. Arslan noted that Turkey does not often sell equipment and he would need to determine who in TGS and Turkish Air Force Command would need to work this issue. Both were interested in the numbers of aircraft involved. PolMilCouns opined that the numbers would be small. MCELDOWNEY