TURKISH DCHOD COMPLAINS ABOUT US F-16 OVERFLIGHT

S E C R E T ANKARA 001291 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2027 TAGS: MARR MOPS TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKISH DCHOD COMPLAINS ABOUT US F-16 OVERFLIGHT OF TURKISH TERRITORY REF: ANKARA 6495 Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) The Turkish Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCHOD) GEN Ergin Saygun informed DCM on May 24 that two US F-16 aircraft violated Turkish airspace when they crossed the border from Iraq at approximately 12:01 that afternoon and crossed back into Iraq at 12:02 (Note: It is unclear whether this is local or Zulu time). He also provided a map depicting the entry and exit points and listing the specific latitude and longitude coordinates (entry: N37.12, E42.36 exit: N37.17, E42.41). Saygun warned, as he had during previous complaints about US UAV violations of Turkish airspace (reftel),that Turkish air defense forces are on high alert given the ongoing operations against the PKK terrorist organization in southeast Turkey. He expressed concern about an accidental shoot-down and asked that the US respect Turkish territorial sovereignty. ¶2. (S) COMMENT: The May 22 bombing in Ankara, the death of five Turkish forces on May 24 in southeast Turkey when their vehicle hit a landmine, and the ongoing Turkish operations in the southeast combine to create a very tense situation here. The military is on high alert and US aircraft should take every precaution to avoid an accidental penetration of Turkish airspace. END COMMENT. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON