TURKEY FINE WITH F-16 REQUEST WITHDRAWAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005504

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SE AND PM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2015
TAGS: MASS PK TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY FINE WITH F-16 REQUEST WITHDRAWAL

REF: A. STATE 173015


B. ANKARA 4551

C. ANKARA 3843

D. STATE 117933

Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Timothy A. Betts, reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

(C) Per reftel a request, Acting PolMilCouns and PolMilOff
advised MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia Aydin
Evirgen and South Asia Department Head Murat Ulku on Sept. 21
of US appreciation for Turkey's willingness to consider a
transfer of some of its F-16s to Pakistan but explained that
such a transfer would not be necessary and provided a copy of
Ref A points. Ulku said Turkey was aware of the US plan to
transfer two F-16s to Pakistan and understood the rationale
behind our withdrawal of the request for Turkish F-16s. He
added that, when originally approached, the Turkish General
Staff had raised concerns about the gaps such a transfer
would create in Turkey's inventory, but saw this as an
opportunity to upgrade some of its fleet if the US was
willing to provide Turkey with newer F-16s in exchange. Both
Evirgen and Ulku understood that the US did not have surplus
F-16s for transfer to Turkey and saw no problem with the
request withdrawal.
MCELDOWNEY