TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, December 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000142 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS MARR PREL AJ KG GR YI TS PK IS TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, December 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 -------------- -- National Security Council Convenes -- Defense Industry Executive Committee Convenes -- Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes -- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -- Defense Industry Activity National Security Council Convenes -------------- ¶1. Turkey's National Security Council (NSC) held its bi-monthly meeting on December 28. Internal developments affecting Turkey's national security and the PKK terrorist organization topped the agenda. Recent developments in Iraq and the Iraq Study Group's report were discussed and Turkey's related policies reviewed. Participants noted the importance of intensifying Turkey's cooperation with the USA, Iraq's neighbors, the United Nations, Organization of the Islamic Conference and Arab League. Turkey-EU relations and Cyprus were among other issues discussed in the meeting. Defense Industry Executive Committee Convenes -------------- ¶2. Turkey's top decision making body on defense industrial procurement, the Defense Industry Executive Committee (DIEC), comprised of the Prime Minister, Chief of the General Staff and Minister of Defense, convened on December 12. The DIEC was expected to give its final decision on the tactical and reconnaissance Attack Helicopter Project (ATAK),but postponed its decision after the Turkish General Staff (TGS) proposed a trial of South Africa's Denel and Italy's Augusta Westland helicopters, the two companies which submitted bids for the helicopter tender. The committee approved the purchase of 30 F-16s from Lockheed Martin and agreed on Turkey's continued participation in the Joint Strike Fighter project. DIEC also authorized the Defense Industry Undersecretariat (SSM) to launch eight new projects with maximum local content under the 10-Year Procurement Program. (Turkish Defense and Aerospace Update magazine) Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes -------------- ¶3. Turkey's Anti-Terrorism High Council, chaired by FM Gul, convened on December 20. This is the second meeting in 2006 but only the third meeting since 1997. Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Jandarma Commander Gen Isik Kosaner, Deputy CHOD Gen Ergin Saygun, National Security Council Secretary General Yigit Alpogan, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Omer Dincer, Turkish National Intelligence Organization Undersecretary Emre Taner and Turkey's Special Envoy to Combat the PKK Terrorist Organization, Gen Edip Baser, attended the meeting. There was no announcement of the meeting topics or outcomes. (ANA) Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -------------- --- ¶4. Azerbaijan: Turkish Jandarma Forces Commander Gen Isik Kosaner visited Azerbaijani Law Enforcement Commander Gen Zakir Hasanov in Baku on December 6. Speaking after the visit, Gen Kosaner said that his visit would constitute an opportunity to boost cooperation, mutual assistance, exchange of information and training activities, according to the semi-official Anatolian News Agency (ANA). ¶5. Kyrgyzstan: A Turkish delegation headed by Turkish General Staff Head of Logistics MG Zafer Camlica met with Kyrgyz Defense Minister Ismail Isakiv in Bishkek on December 9. The Turkish delegation also visited the Kyrgyz National Guard Command and Border Services Unit ANKARA 00000142 002 OF 003 to discuss military technical training. MG Camlica noted that Turkey would provide $700,000 worth of technical assistance to the Kyrgyz Armed Forces and Border Services Unit as well as $230,000 worth of military and mountaineering sports equipment and off-road vehicles to the Kyrgyz Armed Forces. (ANA) ¶6. Greece: Greek Coast Guard Commander Gen Elias A. Sionides visited his Turkish counterpart Gen Can Erenoglu on December 12. Cooperation against regional threats, illegal migration and maritime trafficking were discussed. (ANA) ¶7. Serbia: Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul received his Serbian counterpart Zoran Stankovic on December 13. Stankovic visited defense companies like Havelsan and Aselsan during his visit. Noting Turkey's interest in increasing cooperation with Serbia, MOD Gonul suggested that the two countries could learn from each others' counter-terrorism experiences. (ANA) ¶8. Tunisia: Tunisian National Defense Minister Gen Mohammad Haddad visited MOD Gonul on December 19. Noting that there were several military and industrial agreements with Tunisia, Gonul said that 128 Tunisian personnel have been trained in Turkey (ANA). ¶9. Pakistan: Turkish land Forces Commander GEN Ilker Basbug visited Pakistani Deputy Land Forces Commander GEN Ahsan Saleem Hyat and Pakistani CHOD GEN Ehsan Ul Haq on December 19 in Islamabad. Gen Basbug was decorated with the Medal of Honor by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf during his visit. ¶10. Israel: A delegation of experts on terrorism, intelligence and the defense industry headed by Turkish Deputy CHOD GEN Ergin Saygun held series of meetings at the Israeli Defense Ministry and General Staff Headquarters on December 26. During the visit, the Turkish delegation talked about developments in the Middle East and proliferation threat in the region. Both sides presented their analysis of the threat, and reviewed counter-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing, including via satellite. (ANA) Defense Industry Activity -------------- ¶11. Lockheed Martin won an $800 million contract to upgrade Turkey's fleet of F-16 fighter jets. The company will provide 216 modernization kits to upgrade F-16C and D model aircraft in the Turkish Air Forces inventory. This contract is the continuation of an initial contract signed in April 2005 between the governments of Turkey and the US. Some major Turkish newspapers speculated that the tender was awarded to Lockheed Martin since US Special envoy for countering PKK terrorism Joseph Ralston is a member of Lockheed Martin's Board of Directors. The Defense Ministry released a statement on December 28 noting that the project was under a Foreign Military Sales program based on an agreement signed on April 26, ¶2005. (ANA) ¶12. TAI-TUSAS signed a $120 million contract with SSM on December 1 for the avionics modernization of 13 C-130 transport planes of the Turkish Air Forces. After completing the project TAI will be the second center, outside the US, capable of the repair, maintenance and modernization of those planes. (ANA) ¶13. The Eurofighter Consortium, an Italian, German, British and Spanish partnership which produces the air defense fighter Typhoon, and is competing with the Joint Strike Fighter initiative, offered Turkey industrial participation in the Eurofighter, including partnership with the elite club for European aerospace industry. (ANA) ¶14. EADS Astrium of Britain, IAI of Israel, Ohb System of Germany and Telespazio of Italy submitted bids for Turkey's first military-purpose satellite project 'Gokturk'. The project includes the in-orbit delivery of one optical reconnaissance satellite, plus one fixed and one mobile ground station. (ANA) ¶15. TAI-TUSAS completed the first AW139 helicopter fuselage and sent it to Agusta Westland on December 21. The contract signed between ANKARA 00000142 003 OF 003 TAI and Agusta Westland foresees production of 250 fuselages over 12 years. (ANA) ¶16. Aselsan announced on December 25 that it would supply Sikorsky avionics, including FLIR, Multi-Function Displays, Flight Management System, INS/GPS and radio sets for the second batch of Seahawks being procured for the Turkish Naval Forces. (Turkish Defense and Aerospace Update magazine) ¶17. Aselsan announced an extension of the proposal deadline for the Turkish Airborne Reconnaissance Program from December 22 to January ¶26. The program covers procurement of four Podded Reconnaissance SAR/GMTI Sensor Systems (SA-RENS) and related subsystems for the RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft of Turkish Armed Forces. (Turkish Defense and Aerospace Update magazine) ¶18. SSM announced an RFI (Request for Information) for 10 Heavy Lift Helicopters to meet Turkish Land Forces' requirements. The deadline for requesting RFI document from SSM is January 15. ¶19. SSM announced an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the acquisition of six air independent propulsion submarines (AIP) for the New Type Submarine Project. The Deadline for the RFP is January 31. WILSON