TURKISH MILITARY RAISES CONCERNS WITH US WEAPONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001464 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2017 TAGS: MARR MOPS PTER TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKISH MILITARY RAISES CONCERNS WITH US WEAPONS SALES TO IRAQ AND LACK OF ADEQUATE IRAQI SAFEGUARDS REF: 2006 ANKARA 6720 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 7. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: Turkey has complained about a proposed large-scale arms transfer to Iraq that officials here fear will lead to more leakage of arms, munitions and explosives to terrorist groups in that country, including the PKK. Large-scale black market sales have apparently supplied the PKK and may also have supplied criminal gangs in Turkey, including those apparently responsible for Hrant Dink's murder in January. Post requests information we can share with Turkish security forces on what measures are being established to prevent further unauthorized re-transfer of these newly-proposed items. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) Substantial weapons caches, including many tons of C4 explosives, Glock pistols, rocket launchers and other equipment have been smuggled into Turkey from Iraq. Turkish authorities have repeatedly raised with us their concerns about the lack of adequate Iraqi controls over these weapons. PKK terrorists have employed C4 explosives at a dramatic rate and the Turkish military claims to have confiscated over one ton of C4 in the past six weeks. Glock pistols have also been an exceedingly difficult problem here. A Glock was used by the extremist who shot a high court judge and a priest, and the MFA has given us the serial numbers of more than 600 Glocks that have been seized from PKK terrorists and other criminals. Early in 2007, this post hosted a visit by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service to review irregularities in Coalition weapons procurement for Iraq and related control procedures. ¶4. (C) Deputy Chief of Staff GEN Ergin Saygun expressed to us on June 6 his concerns with a proposed large-scale US transfer of small arms, ammunition, explosives and other equipment/services valued at $508M to the Government of Iraq (GOI) at GOI request. He learned of the proposed transfer from a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) News Release dated May 4 regarding DSCA notification to Congress of the proposed transfer. Saygun raised questions about the quantities of ammunition to be transferred, in particular 100,000 pounds (50 tons) of C-4 explosives, and inquired about measures to ensure the security and accountability of the items. He reiterated these concerns during a separate meeting with Ambassador on June 9. Ambassador said that we all need for Iraqi security forces to be well-equipped, but acknowledged past problems and undertook to convey Saygun's concerns. ¶5. (C) TGS subsequently provided us with a letter from the director of a Danish firm which is working with the US firm First Choice Armor to see bullet proof vests to the "Kurdistan Defense and Security Forces", with the long-term ambition of establishing and running a factory to make bullet-proof vests in northern Iraq. The company is also negotiating to sell large quantities of 9x19mm ammunition, beginning with an order of 1.5 million cartridges, to the Kurdistan Regional Government. ¶6. (U) Following is the list of ammunition referenced in the DSCA News Release: 600,000 12 Gauge 00 Buckshot 16,000,000 9mm Ball 100,000,000 M855 5.56 Ball 40,000,000 5.56mm Tracer 50,000,000 5.56mm Blank 36,000,000 5.56mm 4Ball/1 Tracer 30,000,000 7.62mm 4 Ball/1 Tracer 10,000,000 MI 18 7.62 X 51 mm Ball 100,000,000 7.62mm 4 Ball/1 Tracer 20,000,000 .50 Caliber 4 Ball/1 Tracer 170,000 40mm HEDP Grenade 80,000 C4 1.25 pound 4,200,000 Feet Detonating Cord 110,000 Feet Time Fuze 20,000 Time Fuze Igniter 20,000 Non-Electric Blasting Caps 112,500 M14 Non-electric Blasting Caps 18,000 Flash Bang Grenade 20,000 HC Smoke Grenade ANKARA 00001464 002 OF 002 20,000 Yellow Smoke Grenade End List. ¶7. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: Turkish officials have previously inquired about the storage, security and accountability procedures for US-origin weapons and ammunition transferred to Iraq but we have been unable to provide detailed information. Post requests information that can be shared about the security and accountability procedures which have been put in place to ensure that military items transferred to the GOI remain in the proper hands. END COMMENT AND REQUEST. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON