NOV. 9-10 HIGH LEVEL DEFENSE GROUP MEETING WITH

S E C R E T ANKARA 007592

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SE AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2015
TAGS: MARR MASS PREL PARM TU US IZ AF
SUBJECT: NOV. 9-10 HIGH LEVEL DEFENSE GROUP MEETING WITH
TURKEY A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD

REF: ANKARA 6846

Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In the first High Level Defense Group (HLDG)
meeting with Turkey in two years, the US side emphasized
recent concrete US actions to assist Turkey in its efforts
against the PKK terrorist organization and underscored the
need for Turkey to publicly recognize the US role. The Turks
agreed to acknowledge publicly that the US is helping Turkey
on the PKK, but behind closed doors both TGS and MFA
officials made clear their belief that US efforts on the PKK
have not gone far enough. In the Political Military Working
Group (PMWG) Turkey outlined plans for its first PSI exercise
and asked the US to encourage Bulgaria and Romania to
participate in Turkey's Operation Black Sea Harmony. The US
emphasized the need for NATO's transformation to meet new
security realities and for new NATO partnerships to support
its goals. The US also highlighted the regional missile
threat. Turkey said it was ready to sign a draft amendment
to the bilateral missile defense agreement, and Assistant
Secretary of Defense Flory and Turkish Air Force Commander

SIPDIS
General Comert signed a framework space agreement that will
launch a working group process on space cooperation. END
SUMMARY.

SHARED SECURITY CONCERNS
--------------


2. (C) Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff (DCHOD)
General Isik Kosaner opened the HLDG by noting the important
changes in the regional and global security environment,
Turkey's security strategy and the need for new ideas to meet
the changing security environment. He said Turkey's security
concerns coincide with those of the US and that Iraq and
Afghanistan are of particular concern. Kosaner said Turkey
wants to modernize its defense systems with new technologies
to meet the changing security challenges. Assistant
Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy Peter

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Flory pointed to the historical strength of the bilateral
relationship and our shared interests across a wide range of
issues. He welcomed the HLDG as an opportunity to reconfirm
the value of the relationship and to reinvigorate the
bilateral dialogue.

TURKEY'S CONTINUED CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFGHANISTAN
-------------- --


3. (C) TGS outlined in the HLDG plenary session Turkey's
continued support for NATO's ISAF mission following its
command of ISAF VII. Turkey will contribute 17% of the
personnel and budget -- as well as supply communication
equipment -- when SEEBRIG contributes an HQ element to ISAF
the first half of 2006. The two sides discussed OEF/ISAF
synergy. The Turkish MFA representative stressed the need to
keep the mandates of the two missions separate. ASD Flory
said popular perceptions of the two missions would be based
more on their activities and effectiveness. He also noted
that ISAF's ROE must become more robust as that force moves
into the south.


4. (C) The Turkish side said that Turkey and France had
agreed on Oct 21 to arrangements to share the Capital Region
Command beginning in summer 2006, including mission size,
force structure and financial sharing arrangements. France
will be in command first. Turkey will provide an infantry
battalion as well as combat support and combat service
support personnel. (Comment: MFA has informed us that the
Italians subsequently expressed an interest in sharing
command responsibilities with Turkey and France).

PKK AND KIRKUK - TURKEY'S TWO CONCERNS IN IRAQ
-------------- -


5. (C) DCHOD noted the importance to Turkey of the security
situation in/political unity of Iraq. In his view, Iraq
provides a test case for US and allied efforts in the broader

Middle East. Turkey's two concerns in Iraq are the PKK and
Kirkuk, especially PKK terrorist attacks emanating from Iraq.
Kosaner said Turkey's number one expectation is the
disbandment of the PKK in Iraq. Kosaner called Kirkuk a
likely new crisis area given the current situation. He
reiterated Turkey's position that all natural resources in
Iraq must belong to the whole country and warned that
hostilities in Kirkuk could drag the entire region "into
chaos." Kosaner called for international observers from the
UN and the OSCE to monitor the December 2005 elections in
sensitive areas like Kirkuk, saying that this should not be
left to "one ethnic group."


6. (C) Turning to the constitution, Kosaner expressed
concerns on the issues that had been left for Parliamentary
decision, as well as the extensive authority given to the
regional governments. Kosaner said the key issues are: the
territorial integrity of Iraq; the definition of the federal
structure; the incorporation of Islamic law; the status of
Kirkuk, the disbandment of militias, the management of
natural resources and the elimination of the PKK presence in
northern Iraq.


7. (C) Kosaner raised questions about the security situation
in Talafar and asked for US security round-trip for the aid
trucks preparing to deliver assistance there. (Note: The
Turkish Red Crescent, on advice from the Iraqi Red Crescent,
subsequently declined our security escorts.)

PKK
---


8. (S) (Note: Because of the sensitivity of the topic, the
Turks wanted the PKK discussions to take place in a
restricted session.) EUCOM updated the TGS on the status of
its assistance offers. CENTCOM Deputy Policy Planning Chief
BG Mark Kimmitt outlined various steps that the USG and Iraq
might be able to take, both before and after December
elections in Iraq, against the PKK. Kimmitt emphasized
CENTCOM's view that the emphasis after the elections should
be on bilateral solutions between the GOI and GOT.


9. (S) TGS J3 LTG Bekir Kalyoncu responded that US-TU
intelligence sharing has been a "success story," but claimed
that other U.S. initiatives were still only "at the
conceptual stage." Since EUCOM CDR Gen Jones and
then-CENTCOM D/CDR Lt. Gen. Smith visited Ankara Sept. 9,
there have been 233 incidents in Turkey involving the PKK,
with 31 dead and 111 wounded. We need concrete results now,
Kalyoncu emphasized. MFA Director General for Security
Affairs Amb. Hayati Guven and DG for the Americas Amb.
Selahattin Alpar both emphasized the negative effects of the
PKK problem on U.S.-Turkish relations. Guven cited a recent
Turkish press story which claimed that the PKK is in fact
under U.S. control.


10. (S) ASD Flory emphasized that the U.S. understands the
toll that the PKK takes on Turkey, and that to say that the
U.S. is passive in the face of this problem is dead wrong.
The U.S. has been Turkey's strongest ally against the PKK,
and has increased its support in recent months. The GOT
needs to tell this story to the Turkish people. The U.S. is
spending billions of dollars a month and has lost over 2000
dead in Iraq. Getting Iraq right is job one, and no country
-- except Iraq itself -- will benefit more from success in
Iraq than Turkey will. We have to look at the PKK issue in
this context. The ITG is not yet capable of handling the
PKK issue on its own.


11. (S) The Charge took strong issue with Kalyoncu's
statement that U.S. efforts are only at the conceptual stage.
We have taken concrete action in Europe (demarching European
governments),in Turkey (providing intelligence),and in Iraq
(by addressing the issue with ITG and doing surveillance
flights over PKK camps there). We have taken resources we
need elsewhere and put them toward the PKK. BG Kimmitt added
that U.S. commanders in Iraq have concluded that taking

kinetic action against the PKK would be destabilizing at this
time, but added that the question is not whether to take
action versus the PKK, but when. After the session, Kosaner
and TGS/J3 LTG Guner both told the Charge privately that they
did not agree with Kalyoncu's characterization of U.S.
efforts, which they saw as concrete and positive.

PMWG: PSI, BLACK SEA, MD, NATO AND EXCHANGES
--------------


12. (SBU) A PSI First: TGS briefed its plans for a March
2006 Proliferation Security Initiative exercise incorporating
air, sea and land components, a first in the PSI framework.
The Turks expressed appreciation for the US and French
commitments to participate and said they believed other
nations would commit to the exercise at the PSI Operational
Experts Group meeting in Hamburg Nov. 24-25.


13. (C) Turkey: Black Sea For Littorals Only, For Now: TGS
outlined the mission and achievements of Operation Black Sea
Harmony (goal: maritime security and deterrence) and
BLACKSEAFOR (goal: littoral training on SAR, Humanitarian
Assistance, WMD and illicit trafficking interdiction,
environment accident assistance and more). Turkey's goal is
to make OBSH multinational (note: littoral countries only at
this point, although it shares information with NATO) and to
transfer its responsibilities to BLACKSEAFOR. Turkey looks
to NATO for encouragement of littoral cooperation with OBSH.


14. (C) Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dan Fata, the
US PMWG Chair, noted the opportunity for constructive
cooperation by littorals and other countries in the Black Sea
if they add value. The US policy on the Black Sea is under
development but the core principles will be transparency and
multilateral engagement. MFA Head of Department for NATO
Ihsan Kiziltan outlined the three pillars of Turkey's policy
on the Black Sea as follows:

A) Scope of risks/threats: Turkey sees fewer risks in the
Black Sea than the Mediterranean and other seas.

B) Littoral Maritime Capabilities: The littorals can cope
with the existing maritime threats in the Black Sea.
However, if that changes, Turkey would welcome NATO and other
assistance.

C) Coordinated Littoral Position: Turkey views Russia as an
important player in the Black Sea that must be engaged.
Turkey does not want to antagonize or isolate any of the
littorals.

Given that, Kiziltan added, Turkey doesn't oppose US or other
party participation in the Black Sea if other littorals agree
and if the Montreux Convention is respected. TGS added that
Turkey looks to the US to encourage Bulgaria and Romania to
join OBSH.


15. (S) Missile Defense Cooperation: The US side thanked
Turkey for the opportunity to analyze the errant Syrian test
missile that fell in Turkey earlier this year, and summarized
the findings to date, including the previously-unknown
advances in Syrian missile technology. The US provided an
update on its evaluation of a long range missile interceptor
site in Europe, possibly in Turkey, and both sides renewed
their commitment to sign an amendment to the bilateral
missile defense agreement which would allow a sensor
placement study in Turkey. The US looks to Turkey to
encourage NATO to consider a missile defense program that
takes domestic populations and territory, not just NATO
military sites, into consideration.


16. (C) NATO Transformation: DASD Fata outlined President
Bush's proposal for separate summits to address NATO
transformation and enlargement/partnership, and noted the
importance of a NATO Readiness Force (NRF) that can quickly
respond to crises. He asked for Turkey's support for the US
proposal on NATO transformation. MG Serdar Savas, the

Turkish PMWG Chair, provided Turkey's views on NATO reform.
In Turkey's view, a transparent process is critical and the
principle of consensus is "sacred." Turkey views the NRF as
the "flagship for transformation" and said it is incumbent on
Allies to make it a success and to meet the October 2006
reform target.


17. (U) Exchanges: TGS announced its support for the
establishment of a bilateral "Colonels' Exchange Program
under the following guidelines:

A.) Change the name to "Officers' Exchange Program" in order
to allow the exchange of Lieutenant Colonels/Commanders as
well as 0-6s.

B.) The exchanges will occur every six months for two weeks.

C.) The host country will be responsible for lodging and
in-country transport, the sending country for international
transportation and personal expenses.

OSD representatives agreed to the name change but said that
the program duration, frequency and financial parameters
would need to be evaluated before the US could commit. DASD
Fata agreed to take under consideration a previous TGS
suggestion for the establishment of an Army Working Group as
part of the HLDG to discuss modernization, transformation,
communication, joint training and education, but raised
questions about a working group devoted to just one service.
(Note: MG Savas confided to us later that TGS is not
enthusiastic about this Land Forces' proposal.)

PMWG ACTION ITEMS
--------------


18. (C) Following are the action items for follow-up that the
Mission took from these discussions. TGS has requested that
the Embassy submit a complete USG list of action items for
TGS concurrence.

For the US:

- Evaluate TU proposal for Officers' Exchange Program
- Evaluate TU proposal for an Army Working Group as part of
the HLDG
- Consider TU request to press Bulgaria and Romania to join
OBSH
- Indicate US readiness to sign the MD MOU amendment
- Share US Black Sea strategy with Turkey

For Turkey:

- Evaluate US request to support US NATO transformation
proposal
- Evaluate US request to urge NATO to include domestic
populations and territory in its MD concept

For Both:

- Identify a time frame for a PMWG meeting in spring 2006.

SCWG MEETING UNCONTENTIOUS
--------------


19. (SBU) Defense Security Cooperation Agency Director Lt.
Gen. Jeffrey Kohler led the U.S. delegation for the Nov. 9
U.S.-Turkey Security Cooperation Working Group (SCWG) session
of the High Level Defense Group. Lt. Gen. Kohler and his
Turkish counterpart, Brigadier General Ali Akdogan, discussed
a wide range of security cooperation issues. Kohler and
Akdogan signed an action item document (text in para. 21) and
agreed to hold a SCWG meeting in early 2006.


20. (SBU) Highlights of the meeting included:

-- TGS has been unable to provide documentation showing how
it obtained excess U.S.-origin equipment in the 1950s, 1960s,

and 1970s, thus making it impossible for the USG to grant
Turkish requests to dispose of the materiel. The U.S. side
entered into the record a letter from the State Department
reaffirming that without certain information about the items
from the Turks, the USG is unable to grant the Turks'
request. Lt. Gen. Kohler assured the Turks that they are not
alone with this problem; he suggested that a team of U.S.
experts might be able to come to Turkey to assist the TGS to
identify the items in question and to come up with a best
estimate of the information the U.S. requires. Additionally,
the U.S. side recommended that the Turks prioritize the
equipment to be disposed of and concentrate on documenting
these items as much as possible.

--The U.S. side agreed to consider Turkish industry for
supply of equipment for Georgian troops, subject to "buy
American" restrictions.

--The U.S. side said that the Export-Import Bank was still
considering whether to extend the facility associated with
the Sikorsky Seahawk project, but also noted that
congressional support was needed. Lt. Gen. Kohler agreed to
keep the Turks informed of the status of this request.

--The U.S. side passed the signed copy of the Stinger Letter
of Offer and Acceptance.

--The U.S. side told Turkey that more specific information
was required in order to make a decision on SSM's request for
Technical Data Transfer of the Automatic Vertical Navigation
System (VNAV) and Doppler Radar Interface Control. The U.S.
sided noted that the previous request was too broad.

--Turkey provided its forecast of FMF and IMET fund usage.


21. (SBU) Following is the agreed text of action items
resulting from the U.S.-Turkey SCWG (note internal paragraph
numbering):

BEGIN TEXT

Action Items of the Security Cooperation Working Group (SCWG)
9 November 2005

The U.S.-Turkey Security Cooperation Working Group (SCWG) met
in Ankara, Turkey, 9 November, 2005 and reaffirmed the
bilateral commitment to maintain a strong and strategic
defense partnership, to maintain regional security and
consultations on security issues affecting both Turkey and
the United States (US).

The following are agreed action items:


1. The GOT and USG agreed ODC and the Embassy will work with
TGS and assist TGS in preparing the resubmitting a
prioritized request for approval to dispose of obsolete U.S.
Grant Equipment. The USG advised the GOT that the critical
information for a decision to be made is the method of
acquisition, original acquisition cost and the intended
disposal method. If the information is not a matter of the
record the GOT agreed to provide a best estimate and
supporting rationale. A copy of the USG formal reply to the
original GOT 5 May 2005 request on this topic was provided
and is attached as part of the record.


2. In the event that U.S. companies cannot provide materiel
procured for Georgia using U.S. funds, it was agreed that the
USG would consider Turkish companies as a supply source. The
issue of interoperability, training and maintenance was
considered to be an issue for the Caucasus Working Group and
not a SCWG issue, since the SCWG primarily deals with
procurement and security assistance.


3. USG advised the GOT that the extension request of the
Export-Import Bank facility for the Sikorsky Seahawk project
was still being considered. The USG is very supportive of
the request but cannot give an answer at this time. USG

shall closely monitor the status with the Export-Import Bank
and advise the GOT as soon as a decision is made.


4. The USG advised the GOT that more information is required
to make a decision on the previous request by SSM for
Technical Data Transfer of the Automatic Vertical Navigation
System (VNAV) and Doppler Radar Interface Control for the
upgrade of UH-60s to SOF-capability. GOT agreed to submit
further details on what is requested and required. It was
agreed that SSM and ODC would coordinate to determine
specific information required by the U.S. Army. It is
preferable, and may be required, that the request be
submitted in a Letter of Request format.


5. The USG advised the GOT that a Letter of Offer and
Acceptance (LOA) is available for Turkey's Stinger Letter of
Request and will be forwarded. SSM will review the LOA in
coordination with ODC and respond. Action Item is considered
closed.


6. At the request of the USG, the GOT provided a brief on
the use of FMF and IMET funds and discussed acquisition
priorities. ODC and TGS agreed to continue to coordinate on
this topic.

CAUCASUS WORKING GROUP CONCLUSIONS
--------------


22. (C/REL TU) The Caucasus Working Group met Nov. 8 and
presented the following text of agreed conclusions to the
HLDG on Nov. 9 (full readout of CWG reftel):

BEGIN TEXT


I. Agreed Subjects:

The U.S. and Turkey reaffirm importance of our bilateral
cooperation in the CWG.

--Both countries continue to have mutual interests and
complementary policies in the Caucasus.

-Important that Caucasus militaries continue to develop
along Western lines.

--Democratization in the Caucasus countries, development of
free market economies, and respect of human
rights are of great importance.

II. Information Exchanged on:

Problem areas causing instability and/or impeding regional
cooperation:

--South Ossetia, Abkhazia

--Nagorno-Karabakh

--Russian role in Caucasus.

The U.S. Caspian Guard Initiative.

U.S. security cooperation programs in the Caucasus.

Turkish security cooperation programs in the Caucasus.

III. Issues To Be Examined:

Improve processes for coordinating cooperation.

Coordinate security assistance, including equipment transfer,
in order to avoid duplication and follow-on maintenance
problems/costs.

Turkey's participation in the South Caucasus Clearinghouse.

Turkish participation in Nasosnaya airbase upgrade.


END TEXT

DEFENSE SPACE AGREEMENT SIGNED
--------------


23. (U) At a Nov. 9 ceremony on the margins of the HLDG, ASD
Flory and Turkish Air Forces Commander General H. Faruk
Comert signed at the Turkish Air Forces Headquarters a
framework agreement for defense space cooperation. This
agreement provides for the establishment of working groups to
identify and develop cooperative projects in the space
defense arena, an area of growing Turkish military interest.
Following the signing, Ankara and Washington-based US
officials met with Turkish Air Force representatives to lay
out a proposed course of action for the establishment of an
initial space cooperation working group.

HLDG PARTICIPANT LIST
--------------


24. (U) U.S. Principals:

Peter Flory, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International
Security, HLDG Chair
Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney
Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kohler, Defense Security
Cooperation Agency Chief, SCWG Chair
Lieutenant General Colby Broadwater, EUCOM Chief of Staff
Dan Fata, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European
and NATO Policy, PMWG Chair
Major General Peter Sutton, Office of Defense Cooperation
Chief, Ankara
Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, CENTCOM Deputy Policy
Planning Chief
Scott Schless, OSD Principal Director for Eurasian Affairs
Tim Betts, Embassy Ankara Political-Military Counselor

Turkish Principals:

General Isik Kosaner, Deputy Chief of the General Staff
(DCHOD),HLDG Chair
Lieutenant General Aslan Guner, TGS J-2 Division Chief
Lieutenant General Bekir Kalyoncu, TGS J-3 Division Chief
Lieutenant General Akin Zorlu, TGS J-5 Division Chief
Major General Mehmet Eroz, TGS J-3 Plans and Operations
Department Chief
Major General Ismail Serdar Savas, TGS J-5 Strategy
Department Chief, PMWG Chair
Brigadier General Ali Akdogan, TGS J-5 Defense Planning and
Resource Management Department Chief, SCWG Chair
Brigadier General Tuncer Erinmezler, TGS J-5 Disarmament and
International Security Department Chief
Brigadier General Fikret Salih Tolunguc, TGS J-3
International Security Operations Chief


25. (U) ASD Flory cleared this cable.
WILSON