TURKISH ADMIRAL REAFFIRMS GO IT ALONE POLICY IN

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001432

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NCE WSILKWORTH
ALSO FOR INL/AAE, EUR/ACE, EUR/SCE, EUR/SE, INR/EUR
INR/REA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PREL ECON EU RO MD NATO
SUBJECT: TURKISH ADMIRAL REAFFIRMS GO IT ALONE POLICY IN
THE BLACK SEA

REF: BUCHAREST IIR 6 883 0153 05


1. (SBU) Summary. During a June 7-10 Black Sea Security
Conference held in Chisinau, Moldova, the Turkish delegate
repeated previous GOT comments that Turkey alone has the
capacity to ensure security within the Black Sea region.
Regarding future NATO activities in the region, he stated
that with the assistance of Russia, Black Sea security has
been and will continue to be ensured without further NATO
involvement. Embassy Bucharest officer participated in the
conference and cleared this message with Embassy Chisinau
End Summary.

NATO Need Not Apply
--------------

2. (SBU) Turkish Admiral Kadir Sagdic (Head, Strategy
Department, Turkish Navy Headquarters) stated at Harvard,s
Black Sea Security Conference in Chisinau, Moldova that
Turkey was capable of ensuring Black Sea regional security
without involving other NATO powers. Admiral Sagdic stated
further that NATO,s &dictatorial policies regarding PFP and
other programs were not contributing to security in the
region.8 In a conversation with DOS Bucharest-based SECI
Coordinator, he claimed that Turkey has the capacity to &go
it alone8 in the Black Sea without further &outside
interference.8 When asked to clarify what he meant by
outside interference, he referred explicitly to current
Romanian government Black Sea security initiatives and
corresponding USG dialogue with the GOR on regional security.
He also criticized recent NATO references to the important
Black Sea security. Admiral Sagdic described any Operation
Active Endeavor-like activity in the Black Sea as
&unnecessary8 and &duplicative,8 given the centrality of
Turkish-led Black Sea Harmony. He insisted, however, that
Turkey would provide &reporting8 to NATO on all Black Sea
issues (Ref A). Admiral Sagdic further stated that the Black
Sea Economic Cooperative Organization (BSEC) presently has
the capacity to meet regional challenges and characterized
&expansion8 of BSEC as ¬ in the interest of Black Sea
security.8

Back to the Future: Turkish-Russian Black Sea Cooperation
-------------- --------------

3. (SBU/NF) Admiral Sagdic made it clear to the conference
attendees and in private conversations that NATO involvement
in the Black Sea was a hindrance for overall regional
security. He further pointed out that both Turkey and
Russia were &insiders8 when it came to Black Sea policy and
security concerns, &as they have been for over one-hundred
years.8 Although Major General Nicolai Bushuev, Russian
Defense Attach to Moldova and the Russian delegate to the
conference, did not engage in any public discussions during
the conference, he privately observed that he &doesn,t
disagree8 with the Turkish positions stated during the two
day conference.

Oh, Those Talkative Romanians!
--------------

4. (SBU/NF) Both during the conference and in private
conversations, Sagdic claimed there is a perception in
&NATO capitals8 that Turkey does not have the capacity of
taking the lead on Black Sea security issues. He pointedly
criticized those that believe that &other countries8 in the
region could fill such a role. When asked &which other
countries?8 he archly replied &those that speak the most
about it.8 Most conference participants interpreted
Sagdic,s remarks as a not-so-veiled reproach of Romanian
efforts to develop a regional security strategy.


5. (SBU/NF) Comment. "The Turkish "go it alone" policy
articulated by Admiral Sagdic gibes with recent Romanian
reports that Turkey, in tandem with Russia, intends to
dominate Black Sea security and "non-littoral states8 need
not apply. At best, the Turks seem willing to share
information with other NATO states. The Romanians, for their
part, continue to call for a more engaged U.S., NATO and EU
role in the region. End Comment.


6. (U) AmEmbassy Bucharest's Reporting telegrams, as well
as daily press summaries, are available on the Bucharest
SIPRNet website: www.state.sgov/gov/p/eur/bucharest
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