Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA1657
2006-03-29 06:04:00
SECRET
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

CJCS AND CHOD OZKOK STRESS IMPORTANCE OF

Tags:  PREL MARR PTER OVIP PACE PETER TU IZ IR SY 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5215
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHAK #1657/01 0880604
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 290604Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4363
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RHMFISS/39ABG CP INCIRLIK AB TU
RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC//
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001657 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2031
TAGS: PREL MARR PTER OVIP PACE PETER TU IZ IR SY
GR
SUBJECT: CJCS AND CHOD OZKOK STRESS IMPORTANCE OF
U.S.-TURKEY MILITARY COOPERATION

REF: A. ANKARA 1656


B. ANKARA 1623

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001657

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2031
TAGS: PREL MARR PTER OVIP PACE PETER TU IZ IR SY
GR
SUBJECT: CJCS AND CHOD OZKOK STRESS IMPORTANCE OF
U.S.-TURKEY MILITARY COOPERATION

REF: A. ANKARA 1656


B. ANKARA 1623

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) Summary: CJCS Gen Pace and TGS Chief Ozkok reaffirmed
the importance of the US-Turkey military relationship. Ozkok
underscored Turkey's record of cooperation on Iraq,
acknowledged recent progress there, stressed the importance
of Kirkuk, and warned that sectarian strife could draw
neighbors into Iraq. He expressed appreciation for US
efforts against the PKK in Europe and through intelligence
sharing, but called for some action to keep the PKKin
northern Iraq from becoming too comfortable, such as strong
statements by senior officials against the terrorist group.
Gen Pace responded that it was important to get Iraq right
first, then Turkey, Iraq and the US could together deal with
the PKK presence. Meanwhile, he offered to think about what
might be done to keep the PKK "on edge." Regarding Iran and
Syria, Ozkok suggested that engagement would be more
effective than isolation. Ozkok complained about Greeks'
intercepting Turkish Air Force flights in the Aegean. Gen
Pace raised American defense companies' recent difficulties
in the Turkish market, noting how militaries possessing the
same equipment work more closely together. Ozkok offered a
spirited defense of offsets and Turkey's demands for
technology transfer. Both generals agreed to look for ways
to expand bilateral training opportunities. End Summary.


2. (C) CJCS Gen Pace met with Chief of the Turkish General
Staff GEN Hilmi Ozkok for 1.25 hours on March 23. Ozkok
thanked the Chairman for supporting Turkey's Center of
Excellence-Defense Against Terrorism (Gen Pace spoke at a
COE-DAT-sponsored counterterrorism conference the next day).
He observed that Turkey was in a crucial area of importance
to the US. While important during the Cold War, US-Turkey
relations were even more important today, he declared. CJCS

agreed, calling the relationship "absolutely critical."

Iraq
--------------


3. (S) Ozkok argued that Turkish cooperation on Iraq
contributed greatly to CF efforts there, including hosting
several northern no-fly zone operations after 1991, opening
Turkish airspace, even after the March 1, 2003 Parliamentary
vote prohibiting US troops to transit Turkey, and permitting
special operations forces to cross the border. While
regretting the daily loss of life in Iraq, he noted that
sometimes sacrifices were necessary to achieve difficult
objectives. He assessed that the process in Iraq was moving
forward, albeit slowly.


4. (C) Ozkok underscored the importance of Kirkuk as a symbol
of all of Iraq, urging that any referendum on its status
involve all Iraqis. Similarly, Iraq's natural resources
should be used for the benefit of all Iraqis.


5. (C) Gen Pace expressed appreciation for Turkey's
contributions in Iraq and reviewed recent progress in
developing the Iraqi Army, both in size and ability.
Terrorists understand that Iraq is now the "center of
gravity" of the GWOT, which is why the US is determined to
provide sufficient security for the Iraq to get on its feet,
support the Iraqis' forming an inclusive, unifying
government, and to stop the terrorists by not only capturing
and killing them but also building the economy and
infrastructure to reduce unemployment and the temptation to
take up arms. Walking away from Iraq would only encourage
the terrorists. He cautioned, however, that the war on
terrorism would be a long one. Ozkok recalled news reports
earlier in the day of Senate Armed Services Committee members
saying that the US is a great country and would solve the
problems in Iraq. (CODEL Warner had meetings in Ankara
earlier the same day, reftels.) "Your success is our
security," the general said.


6. (C) Ozkok said that conflict between different groups in
Iraq could lead to invitations for assistance from neighbors.

ANKARA 00001657 002 OF 003


Turkey, Iran, Syria and Israel all have security interests
in Iraq. It would be far better to cooperate for the benefit
of Iraq. That is why TGS supports assisting the US.

PKK
---


7. (C) Ozkok said he understood why the US has not taken on
the PKK in northern Iraq. He expressed appreciation for
US-Turkish intelligence exchanges and especially for US
efforts against these terrorists in Europe. Nonetheless,
more needed to be done in Iraq. He said the PKK operates its
logistic support and training activities in Iraq without
fear, picking up new techniques and equipment which they test
out in attacks in Turkey. The mountainous border is
impossible to protect without assistance on the other side,
and there is none. He hoped the US would do something to
avoid giving the PKK the impression that we view it as a
friend. Strong statements by senior officials would help.


8. (C) CJCS responded that the PKK is a terrorist
organization and is, therefore, unacceptable to the US in
Iraq, Turkey or elsewhere. He reviewed some specific steps
the US has taken against the organization ) dedicating over
20 analysts at JAC Molesworth to the PKK, working against PKK
finances and criminal activity in Europe, and working to
locate PKK leaders in Iraq. Attacking the PKK would be
equivalent to opening another front in the war. Instead, our
priority should be on the stability and governance of Iraq
first, then Turkey, Iraq and the US could deal with the PKK
presence. That said, he understood Ozkok's point about
keeping the PKK on edge, and undertook to examine what might
be done in that regard when he returned to Washington.


9. (C) Regarding the situation in Turkey, Ozkok observed that
some people talk of a "Kurdish problem." (Note: PM Erdogan
caused a stir last year when he used this term in public
remarks in Diyarbakir. End note.) "There isn't one,"
according to Ozkok. Instead, the problem in Turkey's
southeast are due to geography. "Even Kurdish businessmen
invest in the West," he observed. If Turkey's per capita
income were $10,000 instead of $4,000, no one would desire a
Kurdish state.

Iran
--------------


10. (C) Ozkok declared Iran's effort to acquire nuclear
weapons concerned Turkey, and that Ankara was bothered that
the "proliferation axis" from North Korea through China,
India and Pakistan was reaching Turkey's borders. He called
for the elimination of nuclear weapons from "the area." TGS
has only minimal relations with the Iranian military. He
suggested that convincing China and Russia that a
nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat would be useful.
Nonetheless, he also argued that isolating Iran would be
counterproductive, spurring Tehran to drive for
self-sufficiency. Dialogue would be more likely to succeed.
Gen Pace responded that there was a great deal more diplomacy
likely to occur before this issue is resolved.

Other Issues
--------------


11. (C) Other issues the two generals discussed were:

-- Exercises/Training: Ozkok and Pace agreed that we should
informally preview requests for training or exercises in
Turkey so we could consider Turkish constraints in our formal
requests and avoid putting TGS in the awkward position of
turning us down. Gen Pace added that, as US troop
commitments to OIF and OEF diminish over the next year or so,
we should review our bilateral exercise schedule to resume
activities suspended because we lacked available forces to
participate. He pledged to do what he could to break down
barriers to working and training together.

-- Aegean: Ozkok complained about Greeks' intercepting TUAF
flights, Athens' refusal to approve NATO exercises in the

ANKARA 00001657 003 OF 003


Aegean, and the GOG's issuing year-long NOTAMs blocking large
areas of international air and sea space from other
militaries' use. He said Turkey did not want to provoke
Greece, and stated that keeping international airspace and
seas from shrinking was in the interest of the US as well.

-- Defense industry: Gen Pace raised the difficulty American
defense firms were having participating in Turkish tenders.
Noting that he wasn't a salesman, he argued that the
exclusion of American equipment would erode opportunities for
our militaries to work together at lower levels (mechanics,
operators, etc.). Ozkok pushed back noting that Turkish
industry was now more developed and capable; thus, Turkey
requires offsets. Some technology transfer restrictions also
cause problems for Turkey, he said. For example, his
preference was for American helicopters, but anyone could
tamper with the software code making a system inoperable;
that was why Turkey wanted to develop its own mission
computers. Ozkok also expressed concern that American firms
could not say up front whether they will be permitted to
deliver systems they are bidding to provide. Nevertheless,
he thought all these issues could be solved if the two sides
came together to do so. Gen Pace said he would look at US
restrictions once he returned to Washington, but asked Ozkok
to also work to find a solution.

--Kosovo: "Kosovo is a crucial issue that will impact on the
entire region," according to Ozkok. "Everyone should be
careful."

-- Syria: General Pace asked for Ozkok's advice in dealing
with Syria. The CHOD replied that Asad is young and looks to
the future, but is isolated in a system occupied by many
hard-liners. He thought "good psyops" directed at the people
coupled with support for the president could change the
country's direction.


12. (U) CJCS cleared this message.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

MCELDOWNEY