Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA1021
2006-03-01 16:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
AEGEAN: TURKEY STOPS FILING DAILY FLIGHT
how-toVZCZCXYZ0035 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAK #1021 0601609 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011609Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3611 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY RHMFISS/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR// PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001021
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS NATO MARR TU GR
SUBJECT: AEGEAN: TURKEY STOPS FILING DAILY FLIGHT
SCHEDULES, CONCERNED ABOUT IMIA/KARDAK
REF: 05 ANKARA 2891
Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett
s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001021
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS NATO MARR TU GR
SUBJECT: AEGEAN: TURKEY STOPS FILING DAILY FLIGHT
SCHEDULES, CONCERNED ABOUT IMIA/KARDAK
REF: 05 ANKARA 2891
Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett
s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: Turkey stopped filing Daily Flights Schedules
with NATO for military flights over the Aegean as of Jan. 18,
but the GOT only informed us Feb. 28. MFA officials are
concerned about rising tensions over the Imia/Kardak islets.
End summary.
2. (C) During a Feb. 28 meeting on another subject, MFA
Deputy Director General for Maritime and Aviation Affairs
Vakur Gokdenizler informed us that as of Jan. 18, Turkey had
stopped filing Daily Flight Schedules with NATO for military
flights over the Aegean Sea. Gokdenizler was sheepish about
not informing us earlier, and said that the GOT was firm in
this decision and had not wanted to raise this issue with us
only to override our objections. (NOTE: Gokdenizler had
informed us in May of last year that Turkey was considering
no longer filing DFS (reftel),citing the lack of a parallel
Greek CBM on the Aegean. We had advised against taking this
unilateral step backward. We had asked another official in
the MFA Aviation Department as late as Dec. 22 for the latest
GOT thinking on filing DFS; he had assured us that no change
in policy was imminent. END NOTE.)
3. (C) Gokdenizler cited familiar Turkish themes on the
Aegean flight issue: the Hellenic Air Force only used DFS to
elevate tensions by routinely intercepting Turkish fighters
entering Aegean airspace; GOG allegations of "FIR
infringements" are a legal fiction; and Turkey only flies
three to five percent of its missions over the Aegean, many
times fewer than does the Greek military.
4. (C) Gokdenizler reported that the GOG has made no protest,
public or private, about the DFS issue. He did say, however,
that the Turkish Air Force is pleased that Turkey is no
longer providing the Hellenic Air Force the data it needs to
intercept Turkish fighters. He could not say, however, what
the real impact has been, i.e., whether Greek fighters are
intercepting Turkish fighters any more or less than before
(we are checking with Turkish military sources). (COMMENT:
The Turkish military -- especially the Air Force -- has been
pressing for some time to stop filing DFS. We believe MFA
had been pushing back, but with Turkey's EU membership bid
and developments on the Cyprus issue proceeding slowly at
best, MFA had likely run out of arguments for continuing the
practice. END COMMENT.)
5. (C) Shifting gears, Gokdenizler expressed concerns over
rising tensions over the disputed islets of Imia/Kardak. He
reported that before bad winter weather intervened in January
and February, both the Greek and Turkish Coast Guards had
become increasingly aggressive, sometimes with their ships
passing dangerously close to each other. Additionally, he
claimed that a Greek fishing vessel "had been sent" to the
area "flying a Byzantine flag." Gokdenizler admitted that
"we are an easily provoked people," and worried that after
the weather improves tensions may once again increase over
the islets. We urged Turkey to show restraint in response to
perceived provocations.
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2016
TAGS: PREL MOPS NATO MARR TU GR
SUBJECT: AEGEAN: TURKEY STOPS FILING DAILY FLIGHT
SCHEDULES, CONCERNED ABOUT IMIA/KARDAK
REF: 05 ANKARA 2891
Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett
s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: Turkey stopped filing Daily Flights Schedules
with NATO for military flights over the Aegean as of Jan. 18,
but the GOT only informed us Feb. 28. MFA officials are
concerned about rising tensions over the Imia/Kardak islets.
End summary.
2. (C) During a Feb. 28 meeting on another subject, MFA
Deputy Director General for Maritime and Aviation Affairs
Vakur Gokdenizler informed us that as of Jan. 18, Turkey had
stopped filing Daily Flight Schedules with NATO for military
flights over the Aegean Sea. Gokdenizler was sheepish about
not informing us earlier, and said that the GOT was firm in
this decision and had not wanted to raise this issue with us
only to override our objections. (NOTE: Gokdenizler had
informed us in May of last year that Turkey was considering
no longer filing DFS (reftel),citing the lack of a parallel
Greek CBM on the Aegean. We had advised against taking this
unilateral step backward. We had asked another official in
the MFA Aviation Department as late as Dec. 22 for the latest
GOT thinking on filing DFS; he had assured us that no change
in policy was imminent. END NOTE.)
3. (C) Gokdenizler cited familiar Turkish themes on the
Aegean flight issue: the Hellenic Air Force only used DFS to
elevate tensions by routinely intercepting Turkish fighters
entering Aegean airspace; GOG allegations of "FIR
infringements" are a legal fiction; and Turkey only flies
three to five percent of its missions over the Aegean, many
times fewer than does the Greek military.
4. (C) Gokdenizler reported that the GOG has made no protest,
public or private, about the DFS issue. He did say, however,
that the Turkish Air Force is pleased that Turkey is no
longer providing the Hellenic Air Force the data it needs to
intercept Turkish fighters. He could not say, however, what
the real impact has been, i.e., whether Greek fighters are
intercepting Turkish fighters any more or less than before
(we are checking with Turkish military sources). (COMMENT:
The Turkish military -- especially the Air Force -- has been
pressing for some time to stop filing DFS. We believe MFA
had been pushing back, but with Turkey's EU membership bid
and developments on the Cyprus issue proceeding slowly at
best, MFA had likely run out of arguments for continuing the
practice. END COMMENT.)
5. (C) Shifting gears, Gokdenizler expressed concerns over
rising tensions over the disputed islets of Imia/Kardak. He
reported that before bad winter weather intervened in January
and February, both the Greek and Turkish Coast Guards had
become increasingly aggressive, sometimes with their ships
passing dangerously close to each other. Additionally, he
claimed that a Greek fishing vessel "had been sent" to the
area "flying a Byzantine flag." Gokdenizler admitted that
"we are an easily provoked people," and worried that after
the weather improves tensions may once again increase over
the islets. We urged Turkey to show restraint in response to
perceived provocations.
WILSON