MFA SECRETARY GENERAL: "QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE" TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000315

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/SE, EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV GR TU TURKEY
SUBJECT: MFA SECRETARY GENERAL: "QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE" TO
RECENT ALLEGED AIRSPACE INCURSIONS BY TURKEY

REF: ATHENS 292

Classified By: AMB. CHARLES P. RIES FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA Secretary General Gennimatas
complained to Ambassador and visiting EUR DAS Kennedy during
a January 28 meeting about reported airspace incursions by
Turkey, claiming formations of Turkish fighters had flown
within two nautical miles of the Greek islet of Antipsara --
a "qualitative difference" for such incidents. He also
faulted the Turks for initiating mock dogfights with Greek
pilots. While the GoG was disturbed by what it argued was
increased Turkish incidents in recent weeks, Gennimatas said
this development would not change the GoG's support for
Turkey's EU prospects. Reftel reports discussion of Cyprus
issue. END SUMMARY.

"Qualitative Difference" to Recent, Alleged Turkish Incursions


2. (C) At a January 28 meeting with Ambassador and visiting
EUR DAS Kennedy, MFA Secretary General Gennimatas complained
about what he said was a "qualitative difference" in reported
Turkish incursions into Greek airspace. Specifically, he
claimed that on January 26 seven formations of Turkish
fighters, traveling at 15,000 feet, had passed within two
nautical miles of the Greek islet of Antipsara (near the
island of Chios). Gennimatas said this particular incident
represented a new and "very bad" development. To make
matters worse, he added, this incident happened during the
first-ever visit of the Greek CNO to Ankara.


3. (C) Gennimatas went on to describe the longstanding
Greek-Turkish dispute over the Athens Flight Information
Region (FIR). He explained that Turkish pilots do not file
flight plans, nor do they provide information about entry and
exit points -- "they just give us flight times." (NOTE:
Gennimatas said that recently the Turks had asked whether the
U.S. files Athens FIR flight plans. END NOTE.)


4. (C) Gennimatas further complained that the Turks use
airspace incursions to initiate mock dogfights with Greek
pilots. DAS Kennedy noted the potential for miscalculation
and argued for the two sides to develop some CBMs to reduce
this threat. Asked what could be done to reduce the tension
in the Aegean, Gennimatas answered that he talks with his
Turkish counterpart "almost every day," at times requesting
that a Turkish vessel change course if it appears to be
approaching too close to a disputed islet. These
conversations "usually work," he admitted, but occasionally
the Turkish MFA doesn't know or cannot affect Turkish
military movements of concern. Gennimatas acknowledged that
the relationship was very different before 1999, when
essentially there was no contact between the two countries'
foreign ministries. Gennimatas said it was troubling to the
GoG that the Turks appeared to be increasing their incursions
in recent weeks, but that this development would not change
the GoG's strategic policy of supporting Turkey's EU
prospects.


5. (C) COMMENT: Reports of alleged Turkish airspace
incursions and FIR violations in the Aegean occur almost
daily in Greece's media, as do Greek MFA complaints about
such activity. While there is no doubt that increased
contact between the Greek and Turkish MFAs is a good thing,
it has yet to produce a way out of this long-running dispute.
There has been no apparent progress in Greek-Turkish Aegean
talks since New Democracy took power in March 2004, even as
reports of incursions and violations go up in the
post-Olympic period. END COMMENT.