TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, March 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002083 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS MARR PREL TU UP KS TC PK SU IR AL RU SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, March 2006 (Note: This is one of the regular series of unclassified reports on significant Turkish defense and national security issues in the press and other open sources. End note) Contents -------------- -- TGS Chief's Annual Address to the War Academy -- Symposium on Global Terrorism and International Cooperation held in Ankara -- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -- Defense Industry Activity TGS Chief's Annual Address to the War Academy -------------- ¶1. Chief of the Turkish General Staff (CHOD) General Hilmi Ozkok gave his annual speech to the Istanbul War Academy on March 16. He noted the importance of a cohesive domestic government in the international place of a country; underlined the importance of a sound security strategy based on a strong military to deter symmetrical threats and to protect Turkey from asymmetric threats including terrorism. Ozkok underscored the need to preserve Turkey's integrity, national unity and stability and to protect Turkey's rights and interests in Cyprus. The CHOD also touched on the importance of preserving energy sources and energy savings and the military personnel and promotion system. Ozkok uses his annual speech to the War Academy to lay out the military's priority issues and its red lines. Despite the importance of the speech, it received minimal coverage in the Turkish press as the CHOD avoided controversial domestic issues. Symposium on Global Terrorism and International Cooperation Held in Ankara -------------- -------------- ¶2. The Turkish General Staff's Center of Excellence for the Defense against Terrorism organized its first international symposium on Global Terrorism and International Cooperation on March 23-24 in Ankara. The symposium, which focused on the effects of globalization on terrorism; security of urban areas; and cooperation against all forms of terrorism, hosted high ranking participants from 82 countries. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the Chiefs of General Staff from 6 countries including GEN Peter Pace, 46 Ambassadors, many Turkish and international think tank representatives and academics, and military attaches from 46 countries participated in the symposium. Although it was the first international symposium with that scale of high ranking participation, the organizers were disappointed by the low media coverage of the event. Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -------------- --- ¶3. Pakistan: Naval Forces Commander Yener Karahanoglu received his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Afzal Tahir in Ankara on March 6. Tahir also visited military facilities in Izmir, Aksaz/Marmaris, Golcuk/Kocaeli and Istanbul. Specifics about the meeting were not reported. ¶4. Bulgaria: Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul met Bulgarian Defense Minister Vesselin Bliznakov in Ankara on March 14. Underlining that Turkey exerted great efforts for Bulgaria's NATO membership, DM Gonul expressed Turkey's desire to improve bilateral defense industry cooperation (Semi-governmental Anatolian News Agency). Bliznakov invited Turkey to submit a proposal for a new multipurpose fighter plane for the Bulgarian Air Force (Bulgarian State- owned Sofia News Agency). ¶5. Portugal: Portuguese CHOD Admiral Jose Mendes Cabecadas ANKARA 00002083 002 OF 003 met General Ozkok in Ankara on March 14. No information on the subject of their meeting was made public. ¶6. Serbia-Montenegro: Turkey and Serbia-Montenegro signed a plan for bilateral military cooperation in Belgrade on March 17, which foresees naval cooperation and exchanges related to the Partnership for Peace Program (Official State News Agency Belgrade Tanjug). The agreement was not reported by any Turkish official or unofficial public sources. ¶7. South Korea: ROK Chief of General Staff Sang-Hee Lee, who was received by Ozkok as his official guest in Ankara on March 21, was decorated with the Medal of Merit. (The Centrist daily Milliyet). ¶8. Georgia: Georgian CHOD Colonel Levan Nikoleishvili met Ozkok in Ankara on March 24. No information on the subject of their meeting was made public. ¶9. Ukraine: A Turkish military delegation headed by General Ozkok visited Kiev on March 27. Military delegations of the two countries discussed the development of cooperation between their two armed forces (Kiev Unian News Agency). GEN Ozkok's official visit was not reported by any Turkish media sources, nor through official channels. ¶10. Macedonia: GEN Ozkok discussed defense cooperation with his Macedonian counterpart General Miroslav Stoyanovski and Macedonian Defense Minister Tovan Manasievski during his official visit to Macedonia on March 27. Recalling that the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) provide equipment and training for the Macedonian Armed Forces, DM Manasievski thanked Ankara for its support (Semi-governmental Anatolian News Agency). Defense Industry Activity -------------- ¶11. State Minister Kursat Tuzmen, Lieutenant General Hilmi Zorlu, Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief of Plans and Principles, and Turkish Defense Industry Undersecretary Murad Bayar along with many Turkish company representatives, attended the 25th Annual American-Turkish Council Conference held in Washington from March 26-28. Bayar said during the ATC Conference that the Turkish Armed Forces will purchase 100 new generation warplanes worth $ 10 billion to replace F16 and F4 aircrafts. According to Bayar, Turkey will announce by the end of 2006 whether Turkey will chose the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF),Eurofighter or a combination of the two aircraft, according to various media reports. ¶12. Turkish Global Technical Joint Stock Company, which produces battery-powered UAVs in Turkey, started producing UAVs for Italy and United Arab Emirates (Semi-governmental Anatolian News Agency). ¶13. SSM extended until June 15 a March 15 deadline for international helicopter manufacturers to respond to an RFP (Request for Proposal) for Turkey's $ 500 million, 52-unit utility helicopter program for the Turkish Armed Forces and Forestry Service. The Turkish military will buy a 32 platforms to be co-produced in Turkey. Potential contenders for the program include Sikorsky and Europe's NH Industries. ¶14. SSM announced a RFI (Request for Information) for a New Type Submarine Project foreseeing purchase of 4 submarines for Turkish Naval Forces. Deadline for requesting RFI document from SSM is May 15. ¶15. The Swiss company Pilatus was not allowed to obtain an RFP for basic trainer aircraft for the Turkish Air Forces worth $500 million. Swiss companies were red-listed in Turkey after Swiss canton of Vaud officially recognized genocide against Armenians in 2003. Pilatus would have been the fourth international bidder in the contract besides Raytheon, Brazil's Embraer, Korea Aerospace Industries (the English-language Turkish Daily News). ANKARA 00002083 003 OF 003 WILSON