BLACK SEA: ROMANIA/BLACK SEA HARMONY AND BLACK SEA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002482

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2021
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR NATO UP RS TU GG BU RO
SUBJECT: BLACK SEA: ROMANIA/BLACK SEA HARMONY AND BLACK SEA
FORUM

REF: ANKARA 1958

Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett
s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Turkey appreciates our efforts to persuade
Romania and Bulgaria to join Operation BLACK SEA HARMONY
(OBSH),and asks that we weigh in again with the GOR prior to
a May 9 Turkey-Romania bilateral on the subject. MFA told us
May 4 that Romania has agreed to begin negotiations on
joining, and Bulgaria seems to be leaning toward joining as
well, but both could use further encouragement. However, our
MFA interlocutor angrily alleged that Romania attempted to
mislead Bulgarian officials by exaggerating the level at
which Turkey plans to attend the June 6 Black Sea Forum in
Bucharest (he added that Turkey will likely send a minister).
We agreed to relay the request that the U.S. weigh in with
the Bulgarians and Romanians. End summary.


2. (C) MFA Deputy Director General for Security Policy Serdar
Kilic called us in May 4 to request further U.S. assistance
in persuading Romania and Bulgaria to agree to join Turkey's
maritime interdiction operation, Operation BLACK SEA HARMONY
(OBSH). Kilic thanked us for apparently going some way in
turning Romania around, since it has agreed to begin
discussions with Turkey on the operation. He believes,
however, that both Bulgaria and Romania are not yet fully
convinced. Kilic asked that we weigh in with Romania again
ASAP, as Turkey and Romania will meet again on this issue on
May 9. He added that Turkey, Bulgaria, ad Romania will
likely hold trilateral discussons on OBSH soon, perhaps in
early June.


3. (C) Kilic said he engaged in "very fruitful" discussions
with the Bulgarians on the margins of last week's NATO
Ministerial in Sofia. He felt the GOB had been ill-informed
on the particulars of OBSH and what kind of commitment it
entailed, and that the Turkish delegation had "filled this
gap." For example, Sofia had been concerned that it would
have to turn over control of its naval assets to another
country. Not so, explained Kilic. Turkey's concept is that
countries will monitor maritime traffic in their own
territorial or EEZ waters, then report the data to a central
OBSH information center. According to Kilic, the Bulgarians
were positive toward joining and will run the issue up their
bureaucratic chain of command. He did think a positive word
from the U.S. would be helpful to ensure the "right" decision.


4. (C) Kilic also asked for our help on a more delicate
matter. Apparently, Bulgarian emboffs in Bucharest had told
Turkish emboffs that GOR officials had told GOB officials
that Turkey will participate in the June 6 Black Sea Forum at
the Prime Minister level "or higher." Kilic said he had been
present at FonMin Gul's bilateral with the Romanians in
Sofia, and that Gul had clearly stated that the level of GOT
participation had yet to be decided. Kilic said this alleged
"lie" by the Romanians could create a crisis of confidence
between Bucharest and Ankara. He emphasized that Allies
should not behave this way.


5. (C) We said we would pass this on to Washington, but we
added that the USG firmly supports senior GOT participation
in the Forum. Kilic recited familiar Turkish arguments about
the Forum: He said he could not see the reason for it. If,
as the Romanians claim, there is a need for high-level
guidance from Black Sea regional leaders on certain issues,
why not convene a BSEC summit? Kilic averred that the other
littoral states are cool toward the Romanian initiative, but
as Romania is an Ally Turkey will send a senior
representative so Bucharest can "save face." This
representative will most likely be a minister, but not the
Prime Minister. Kilic said Turkey believes the Forum should
be a one-shot deal, and, based on his reading of the GOR
paper on the Forum, averred the concept "is going nowhere."


6. (C) COMMENT: Kilic's annoyance at Romania's
alleged/alleged attempt to mislead another government as to
the level of Turkey's participation in the Black Sea Forum
only demonstrates the rift in GOR-GOT relations over Black
Sea issues. We cannot vouch for the bona fides of Kilic's
account of what the GOR may or may not have done, but it
might be useful to tell the Romanians that we are continuing
to work on the GOT to send a senior representative to the

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Forum, and to further encourage Bucharest and Sofia to join
OBSH. END COMMENT.

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

WILSON