Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA1331
2007-05-31 13:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: STILL CONSIDERING AMMUNITION FOR LEBANESE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAKA #1331 1511357 ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZUI RUEWMCE0015 1511356 O 311357Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC0000 INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA//
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001331
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: STILL CONSIDERING AMMUNITION FOR LEBANESE
ARMED FORCES
REF: A. ANKARA 1282
B. ANKARA 1259
C. STATE 70499
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001331
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: STILL CONSIDERING AMMUNITION FOR LEBANESE
ARMED FORCES
REF: A. ANKARA 1282
B. ANKARA 1259
C. STATE 70499
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).
1. (C) WE CONTINUE TO PRESS THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO
CONSIDER PROVIDING EXCESS AMMUNITION, ESPECIALLY 105MM TANK
ROUNDS, TO THE LEBANESE ARMED FORCES (LAF) ON AN URGENT BASIS
(REFTELS). AMBASSADOR RAISED THE ISSUE IN THE COURSE OF A
MAY 29 MEETING WITH MFA UNDERSECRETARY APAKAN. APAKAN
REPORTED THAT LEBANESE PM SINIORA HAD TELEPHONED FM GUL THAT
DAY TO REQUEST SUPPORT. APAKAN PROMISED TO FOLLOW UP QUICKLY.
2. (C) CONTACTS IN THE TURKISH GENERAL STAFF AND THE FOREIGN
MINISTRY ASSURE US THEY ARE CONSIDERING WAYS OF ASSISTING THE
LAF, INVESTIGATING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE NEEDED AMMUNITION
AND EVALUATING POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. THEY CAUTION THAT A
DECISION MAY STILL BE DAYS AWAY.
3. (C) LEBANESE AMBASSADOR GEORGES SIAM TOLD US MAY 31 THAT
FM GUL HAD PROMISED PM SINIORA AN ANSWER ON TURKISH
WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE AMMUNITION; TO HIS KNOWLEDGE NO WORD
HAD YET BEEN RECEIVED. HE SAID THE GOL DOES NOT PLAN TO PUT
ITS REQUEST IN WRITING UNTIL IT RECEIVES SOME GOT ASSURANCE
THAT HELP WILL BE FORTHCOMING. SIAM ADDED THAT TURKISH MFA
OFFICIALS HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT TURKEY-FURNISHED
WEAPONS MIGHT BE USED AGAINST CIVILIANS. SIAM SAID HE ASSURED
THEM THAT THE LAF WAS BEING EXTREMELY CAREFUL TO AVOID
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AND THAT LAF OPERATIONS AGAINST FATAH
AL-ISLAM ENJOYED THE FULL SUPPORT TO THE LEBANESE PEOPLE.
SIAM SAID THAT LEBANON APPRECIATES CONTINUED U.S. SUPPORT TO
OBTAIN REPLENISHMENT AMMUNITION.
VISIT ANKARA'S CLASSIFIED WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ANKARA/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS LE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: STILL CONSIDERING AMMUNITION FOR LEBANESE
ARMED FORCES
REF: A. ANKARA 1282
B. ANKARA 1259
C. STATE 70499
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).
1. (C) WE CONTINUE TO PRESS THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO
CONSIDER PROVIDING EXCESS AMMUNITION, ESPECIALLY 105MM TANK
ROUNDS, TO THE LEBANESE ARMED FORCES (LAF) ON AN URGENT BASIS
(REFTELS). AMBASSADOR RAISED THE ISSUE IN THE COURSE OF A
MAY 29 MEETING WITH MFA UNDERSECRETARY APAKAN. APAKAN
REPORTED THAT LEBANESE PM SINIORA HAD TELEPHONED FM GUL THAT
DAY TO REQUEST SUPPORT. APAKAN PROMISED TO FOLLOW UP QUICKLY.
2. (C) CONTACTS IN THE TURKISH GENERAL STAFF AND THE FOREIGN
MINISTRY ASSURE US THEY ARE CONSIDERING WAYS OF ASSISTING THE
LAF, INVESTIGATING THE AVAILABILITY OF THE NEEDED AMMUNITION
AND EVALUATING POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. THEY CAUTION THAT A
DECISION MAY STILL BE DAYS AWAY.
3. (C) LEBANESE AMBASSADOR GEORGES SIAM TOLD US MAY 31 THAT
FM GUL HAD PROMISED PM SINIORA AN ANSWER ON TURKISH
WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE AMMUNITION; TO HIS KNOWLEDGE NO WORD
HAD YET BEEN RECEIVED. HE SAID THE GOL DOES NOT PLAN TO PUT
ITS REQUEST IN WRITING UNTIL IT RECEIVES SOME GOT ASSURANCE
THAT HELP WILL BE FORTHCOMING. SIAM ADDED THAT TURKISH MFA
OFFICIALS HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT TURKEY-FURNISHED
WEAPONS MIGHT BE USED AGAINST CIVILIANS. SIAM SAID HE ASSURED
THEM THAT THE LAF WAS BEING EXTREMELY CAREFUL TO AVOID
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AND THAT LAF OPERATIONS AGAINST FATAH
AL-ISLAM ENJOYED THE FULL SUPPORT TO THE LEBANESE PEOPLE.
SIAM SAID THAT LEBANON APPRECIATES CONTINUED U.S. SUPPORT TO
OBTAIN REPLENISHMENT AMMUNITION.
VISIT ANKARA'S CLASSIFIED WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ANKARA/
WILSON