UKRAINE MUNITIONS: TURKEY WILL URGE UKRAINE TO

UNCLAS ANKARA 006230

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM PREL MASS UP TU NATO
SUBJECT: UKRAINE MUNITIONS: TURKEY WILL URGE UKRAINE TO
RATIFY NATO-PFP TRUST FUND, STILL UNDECIDED ON FUNDING

REF: A. STATE 179279


B. STATE 32708

(U) Sensitive but unclassified--please protect accordingly.


1. (SBU) On Oct. 3, PolMilOff called on MFA Head of
Department for NATO Political Affairs Atilla Gunay to deliver
ref a demarche. Gunay responded that Turkey will indeed urge
the Ukrainian government to finalize the NATO-PfP Trust Fund
implementing agreement with the NATO Maintenance and Supply
Agency as soon as possible.


2. (SBU) We took advantage of this meeting to remind Gunay
that Turkey had never responded to ref b request to provide
additional funding to the NATO-PfP Trust Fund to destroy
outdated Ukrainian munitions. Gunay said that while Ukraine
is a high priority for the GOT, MFA has no funds available
for the trust fund. However, MFA had asked the Defense
Ministry and Turkish General Staff to contribute, and the
matter now rested with TGS J5.


3. (SBU) We followed up with TGS J5 Branch Chief COL Kasim
Erdem on Oct. 6 and again on Oct. 13, but Erdem reported that
TGS has yet to make a decision on contributing funds. We
will follow up with TGS shortly.
MCELDOWNEY