HARD-PRESSED TO DO MORE FOR NATO: PREVIEW OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006461

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2016
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL TU
SUBJECT: HARD-PRESSED TO DO MORE FOR NATO: PREVIEW OF
TURKEY ISSUES FOR RIGA

REF: A. USNATO 000658

B. STATE 186256

C. ANKARA 6446

Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) Summary: Turkey agrees broadly with U.S. positions on
NATO Global Partnership and enlargement, and understands the
importance of mission success for NATO in Afghanistan, but is
hard-pressed to make a bigger military contribution in
Afghanistan than it already is, according to the MFA.
Lifting national caveats for Turkish ISAF troops would be
very difficult and is unlikely. The Turkish General Staff
(TGS) is considering additional contributions to the NATO
Response Force (NRF),but has not yet committed. The MFA
says the Turkish freeze on defense cooperation with France is
strictly bilateral and will not affect NATO operations. End
summary.

Broad Agreement on Partnership and Enlargement
-------------- -


2. (C) MFA officials have told us in recent days that there
is broad Turkish agreement with the U.S. positions on Global
partnerships and NATO enlargement. MFA Deputy Director
General for NATO Affairs Sadar Kilic stated to us on November
8 that the GOT has given full support to the concept of
partnerships, but with the caveat that it does not want new
partnerships to have a detrimental effect on existing
relationships. On future enlargement, the most contentious
prospective new member would be Georgia, whose recent
tensions with Russia have raised concerns in Ankara. When
Georgia is eventually admitted and benefits from Article 505
protection, Turkey would expect more "responsible" behavior
from Tbilisi. Turkey follows developments in the southern
Caucasus quite closely. Deputy Undersecretary for
International Security Affairs Rafet Akgunay told us that
Turkey does support eventual NATO membership for
Georgia,"when the time is right," but that the GOT is against
setting a timetable.

Hard-pressed to Contribute More for Afghanistan
-------------- --


3. (C) Turkey understands the importance to NATO of mission
success in Afghanistan and has demonstrated its commitment
through two solo commands of ISAF (II and VIII); current
participation in the two-year joint ISAF Central Command with
France and Italy; and the November 9 establishment of
Turkey's first Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Wardak
Province. Akgunay told us the list of new ISAF equipment
requirements being asked of Turkey was currently under review
by the TGS, but warned that the GOT will be hard-pressed to
make further commitments of troops or equipment, especially
aircraft, for Afghanistan. He and others with whom we have
pressed this issue have stressed that Turkey's needs at home
in the war against the PKK and other requirements elsewhere,
including UNIFIL, have stretched the armed forces' resources
and make it difficult for Turkey give more to ISAF.

Lifting TU ISAF Caveats "Mission Impossible"
--------------


4. (C) Lifting of standing national caveats limiting the
patrolling and positioning of Turkish ISAF troops--a point we
have underscored at every opportunity--will be very
difficult, or "mission impossible," according to Kilic and
others. Every MFA official with whom we have raised this
issue has told us that the caveats cannot be lifted. Deputy
U/S Akgunay told the DCM on November 17 simply that the
message had been passed to the TGS, but that he was
pessimistic about changes. The caveats, Akgunay noted, were
"a fact of life" and very hard for Turkey to change for
military and political reasons.

NRF Contributions Possible
--------------


5. (C) Akgunay confirmed that the large request being made
of Turkey for the NRF was being reviewed by the TGS. There
has been no commitment yet, but Kilic and others expressed
some hope that there might be agreement Turkey could
contribute at least some the of the units needed to make the
NRF a real force.

French Freeze Will Not Affect NATO
--------------


6. (C) In response to the DCM's question, Deputy U/S Akgunay
told us on November 17 that the announced disengagement on
military cooperation with France (ref c) had affected
bilateral ties only, and would not have an impact on NATO
operations in which Turkish forces were working with the
French. Akgunay claimed that the new policy, first publicly
announced by Land forces Commander General Ilker Basbug
November 15, had been coordinated within the GOT, including
the MFA at senior levels. France had "a price to pay,"
Akgunay explained, and whether or not further steps might be
considered depended on whether the French assembly's bill
becomes law in France.

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

WILSON