TURKEY REVIEWING REQUEST TO DENY OVERFLIGHT

S E C R E T ANKARA 001545 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2032 TAGS: EAIR PARM PREL MNUC TU KN SY AM KZ TI TX UZ SUBJECT: TURKEY REVIEWING REQUEST TO DENY OVERFLIGHT CLEARANCE TO SYRIAN ARAB AIRLINES FLIGHT REF: STATE 84289 Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Carl Siebentritt, reasons 1 .4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Per reftel request, we met with MFA Aviation Department Head Hamit Olcay and South Asia Department Head Murat Yoruk on June 18 to request that Turkey deny overflight clearance to reftel Syrian Arab Airlines aircraft, in accordance with UNSCR 1718. Olcay checked with the MFA flight clearance department to determine whether or not the flight originating in Syria that was to have landed in North Korea on June 18 had requested permission to overfly Turkey. According to Olcay's sources -- assuming the flight did take off as scheduled -- it did not/not request permission to overfly Turkey on its way to North Korea. Olcay pledged to monitor incoming overflight requests to watch for this aircraft, but deferred to Yoruk for a political determination on what, if any, action Turkey would take should the aircraft request overflight permission. ¶2. (S) Yoruk noted that, as with past US requests, it is difficult for the Turkish government to deny overflight clearance absent detailed information that a specific flight is in fact carrying illicit cargo. He pledged to review our request with the Arms Control and Disarmament Department and to discuss it with his superiors, but stated that any additional information on the possible cargo and the presumed final destination, if not Syria, would also be helpful. Post welcomes any additional information on this flight that can be shared with the Turkish government. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON