Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA5838
2006-10-06 09:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY/LEBANON: MORE DETAILS ON TURKEY'S UNIFIL
how-toVZCZCXRO1957 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #5838 2790941 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 060941Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9264 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0852 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0480 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS PRIORITY 1591 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0092 RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005838
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2026
TAGS: MARR MOPS PGOV PREL UN LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/LEBANON: MORE DETAILS ON TURKEY'S UNIFIL
CONTRIBUTION
REF: A. ANKARA 05149
B. STATE 148157
C. ANKARA 05200
Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Carl Siebentritt for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005838
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2026
TAGS: MARR MOPS PGOV PREL UN LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/LEBANON: MORE DETAILS ON TURKEY'S UNIFIL
CONTRIBUTION
REF: A. ANKARA 05149
B. STATE 148157
C. ANKARA 05200
Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Carl Siebentritt for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
.
1. (C) Turkish media is reporting that the frigate
"Gaziantep" will depart for UNIFIL duty on October 10 and the
Turkish land component will arrive in Lebanon October 20.
Turkish General Staff (TGS) J-3 Operations Chief MG Serdar
Kocak confirmed to us October 4 that Turkish naval and ground
units will deploy to Lebanon in mid-October, without giving a
precise date. According to Kocak, the UN has informed Turkey
it will not need the two corvettes Turkey had offered but
will take the frigate. Turkey will deploy a military
construction engineering company, which will include some
civilian specialists, to Lebanon under UNIFIL's operational
control. That unit will have the ability to defend itself,
Kocak said, leaving unclear whether additional force
protection elements will be deployed with it. Other TGS
officials have confirmed media reports that a 90-man special
forces unit will deploy as part of the engineering company.
2. (C) When asked, Kocak stated that the Turkish ground
component will operate under specific caveats. The
engineering unit will not engage in mine-clearing or disposal
of unexploded ordnance. It will also not engage in any
activity that could bring it in conflict with armed elements
on either side, particularly disarmament of Hizbollah forces.
The engineering unit will have as its first priority direct
mobility support to UNIFIL units and, secondarily, will
undertake humanitarian or civilian reconstruction tasks.
Kocak attributed the limitations on the mission to the
parliamentary resolution governing this deployment passed on
September 5 (ref a).
3. (C) Turkey has also promised to provide air and sea
transport for "allied and friendly" countries on a
case-by-case basis. According to Kocak, Turkey may provide
assistance to NATO and EU contributors to UNIFIL, with the
exception of Cyprus.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2026
TAGS: MARR MOPS PGOV PREL UN LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/LEBANON: MORE DETAILS ON TURKEY'S UNIFIL
CONTRIBUTION
REF: A. ANKARA 05149
B. STATE 148157
C. ANKARA 05200
Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Carl Siebentritt for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
.
1. (C) Turkish media is reporting that the frigate
"Gaziantep" will depart for UNIFIL duty on October 10 and the
Turkish land component will arrive in Lebanon October 20.
Turkish General Staff (TGS) J-3 Operations Chief MG Serdar
Kocak confirmed to us October 4 that Turkish naval and ground
units will deploy to Lebanon in mid-October, without giving a
precise date. According to Kocak, the UN has informed Turkey
it will not need the two corvettes Turkey had offered but
will take the frigate. Turkey will deploy a military
construction engineering company, which will include some
civilian specialists, to Lebanon under UNIFIL's operational
control. That unit will have the ability to defend itself,
Kocak said, leaving unclear whether additional force
protection elements will be deployed with it. Other TGS
officials have confirmed media reports that a 90-man special
forces unit will deploy as part of the engineering company.
2. (C) When asked, Kocak stated that the Turkish ground
component will operate under specific caveats. The
engineering unit will not engage in mine-clearing or disposal
of unexploded ordnance. It will also not engage in any
activity that could bring it in conflict with armed elements
on either side, particularly disarmament of Hizbollah forces.
The engineering unit will have as its first priority direct
mobility support to UNIFIL units and, secondarily, will
undertake humanitarian or civilian reconstruction tasks.
Kocak attributed the limitations on the mission to the
parliamentary resolution governing this deployment passed on
September 5 (ref a).
3. (C) Turkey has also promised to provide air and sea
transport for "allied and friendly" countries on a
case-by-case basis. According to Kocak, Turkey may provide
assistance to NATO and EU contributors to UNIFIL, with the
exception of Cyprus.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON