Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA6703
2006-12-20 13:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, November 2006

Tags:  MASS MARR PREL FR GR IS RS FI PL GG RO BU PK TU 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006703 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL FR GR IS RS FI PL GG RO BU PK TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, November 2006

(Note: This is one of a regular series of unclassified reports on
significant Turkish defense and national security issues in the
press and other open sources. End note.)

Contents
--------

-- Supreme Military Council Convenes
-- Turkey Freezes Military Ties with France
-- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries
-- Defense Industry Activity

National Security Council Convenes
----------------------------------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006703

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL FR GR IS RS FI PL GG RO BU PK TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, November 2006

(Note: This is one of a regular series of unclassified reports on
significant Turkish defense and national security issues in the
press and other open sources. End note.)

Contents
--------------

-- Supreme Military Council Convenes
-- Turkey Freezes Military Ties with France
-- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries
-- Defense Industry Activity

National Security Council Convenes
--------------


1. The second annual meeting of Turkey's Supreme Military Council
(YAS) convened under PM Tayyip Erdogan on November 30 to assess
external threats, recent developments in the region, the ongoing
fight against the PKK terrorist organization, military policies and
modernization needs of the military. At this meeting the YAS also
expelled 37 military personnel, two of them for engaging in
fundamentalist activities, the remainder for misconduct. As they
have during past meetings, PM Erdogan and Defense Minister Vecdi
Gonul noted their reservations to the expulsions and stated that the
expulsion decision should be made by a court of law. This practice
has become routine with the AKP government.

Turkey Freezes Military Ties with France
--------------


2. Turkish Land Forces Commander GEN Ilker Basbug announced on
November 15 that Turkey's military relations with France have been
suspended in response to the French National Assembly approval of a
bill criminalizing denial of a 1915 Armenian Genocide. The Turkish
General Staff issued a written announcement to cancel bilateral
military activities with France in 2006 and 2007. As a result,
joint exercises planned for 2006 and the planned visit of Air Forces
Commander Gen Faruk Comert to France have been cancelled. During
the November 16 kick-off meeting of the International Defense
Industry Fair (IDEF) to take place in Turkey in May 2007, DefenseMinister Vecdi Gonul announced that France woul not be invited to
participate (Semi-official Anatolian News Agency (ANA).


Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries
-------------- ---


3. Greece: Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief General Yasar Buyukanit
visited Athens on November 1-4 as an official guest of his Greek
counterpart Admiral Panagiotis Chinofotis. Gen Buyukanit is the
first Turkish CHOD to visit Athens in 36 years. Discussions
included the following topics: Safety improvements for military
maritime and air navigation in the Aegean; creation of a joint
committee at the Chiefs of Defense level for promotion of regional
security in the Balkans; creation of a joint operational unit under
NATO; creation of a common land force unit to participate in NATO
Response Force operations; creation of combined-joint disaster
relief/humanitarian aid task force; and exchange visits.


4. Israel: National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Yigit
Alpogan received his Israeli counterpart Ilan Mizrahi in Ankara on
November 2. Alpogan and his counterpart discussed Turkish-Israeli
relations as well as regional and international issues affecting
both countries (ANA).


5. Russia: Turkish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Yener Karahanoglu
met his Russian counterpart Admiral Vladimir Masorin on November 6
in Moscow. The Commanders signed an agreement for Russia's
accession to the Turkish-led Black Sea naval maritime surveillance
construct, Operation Black Sea Harmony (ANA).


6. Finland: Turkish CHOD Gen Yasar Buyukanit received Finnish Chief
of Staff Admiral Juhani Kasleala on November 7 in Ankara. No
information about the meeting was made public (ANA).

ANKARA 00006703 002 OF 002




7. Poland: NSC Secretary General Yigit Alpogan paid a formal visit
to Poland on November 8 to meet with his counterpart Wladyslaw
Satsiak. This visit was one of a series of regular contacts between
the two National Security Councils (ANA).


8. Georgia: NSC Secretary General Alpogan met with his Georgian
counterpart in Tbilisi on November 19. Bilateral relations,
regional and international issues were discussed in the meeting.
Alpogan was also received by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
(ANA).


9. Romania: Air Forces Commander Gen Faruk Comert received his
Romanian counterpart Gen Gheorghe Catrina on November 22. No
information about the subject of the meeting was made public (ANA).



10. Bulgaria: CHOD Gen Yasar Buyukanit received Bulgarian Chief of
Staff General Zlatan Stoykov on November 22 in Ankara. No
information about the meeting was made public.

Defense Industry Activity
--------------


11. Turkish TAI-TUSAS completed production of forward-center
fuselage component of A400M transport aircraft and delivered to it
to Germany for assembly. A400M program worth 20 billion Euro (ANA).



12. Turkish Defense Ministry signed an agreement with Sikorsky for
the purchase of 17 S70B Seahawk helicopters for the Turkish Naval
Forces Command. This is the second lot of Sikorsky Seahawks
purchased by the Turkish Navy. The first delivery is scheduled for
2009 (ANA).


13. Turkish TAI-TUSAS will manufacture fuselage of the F-35
aircrafts. Delivery of the first fuselage expected in 2010 (ANA).


14. Sixteen Turkish defense companies (TUSAS, Aselsan, BMC, Gate
Elektronik, Girsan, Global, Havelsan, Kalekalip Kaletron, Koc
System, Likom, Milsoft, MKE, Roketsan, TAI, TIBAS, Yonca-Onuk JV and
Yuksel Technology) and the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries
(SSM) participated in the November 21 IDEAS 2006 Defense Industry
Fair in Karachi, Pakistan. Attending a meeting with his Pakistani
counterpart in Karachi, Defense Minister Gonul said that Turkey and
Pakistan are working on a command control and combat system worth 30
million USD. Undersecretary for Defense Industries Murad Bayar said
during his visit to the defense fair that Pakistan, Jordan and
Malaysia were interested in Turkey's Assault and Tactical
Reconnaissance (ATAK) helicopter project (ANA).


15. TAI-TUSAS and the Pakistani Air Force signed a protocol on
November 22 at the IDEAS Defense Fair to modernize 25-35 F-16 jets
of Pakistani Air Force (ANA).



WILSON