TURKEY UNLIKELY TO MAKE MORE ISAF CONTRIBUTIONS IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001456 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017 TAGS: NATO PINS PREL MOPS MARR AF TU SUBJECT: TURKEY UNLIKELY TO MAKE MORE ISAF CONTRIBUTIONS IN NEAR TERM REF: STATE 71547 Classified By: Political Military Counselor Carl Siebentritt for reason s 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) We presented to MFA NATO Affairs Head of Department Ihsan Kiziltan on June 6 reftel request on critical ISAF shortfalls and the urgent need for more allied contributions of troops and equipment. Drawing on background points provided, we emphasized the current gaps in the Regional Command South (RC-S) and passed to MFA the Turkey-specific requests for 14 medium/heavy lift helicopters, six attack helicopters, one maneuver battalion, two Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams all for identified needs in the RC-S, and 40 Turkish trainers requested for the Combined Security Assistance Command (CSTC-A). ¶2. (C) Kiziltan stated that Turkey is fully committed to ISAF objectives in Afghanistan and has demonstrated its commitment over the years by taking command of ISAF-II and ISAF-VII, and assuming the Regional Capital Command in April ¶2007. Turkey currently has nearly 1,200 troops on the ground, three helicopters deployed, and has recently provided three artillery battalions with a total of 24 155 mm howitzers to the Afghan National Army. Turkish training and development efforts were also significant, and investments of 21 Turkish companies in infrastructure projects had amounted to over $200 million. ¶3. (C) In addition to its military commitments in Afghanistan, Kiziltan noted that Turkish forces were deployed abroad in Kosovo and Lebanon. Military operations on-going since May against PKK terrorists in Turkey's southeast were also absorbing a large number of troops, armor, and aircraft Kiziltan added. ¶4. (C) Decisions on further specific Turkish contributions to ISAF would be taken by the Turkish General Staff (TGS), Kiziltan said. The MFA would carefully review the requests being made, but the TGS would take the final decision. ¶5. (C) In a separate meeting on June 4, TGS J-3 MG Kocak confirmed that Turkey would not likely send additional forces or enablers to Afghanistan, citing on-going counter-PKK operations in the southeast. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON