RUSSIAN THREATS AGAINST MISSILE DEFENSE IN POLAND

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000522 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR PL CZ RU TU SUBJECT: RUSSIAN THREATS AGAINST MISSILE DEFENSE IN POLAND AND CZECH REPUBLIC: NO PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM TURKS REF: A. ANKARA 00403 ¶B. STATE 21640 Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Carl Siebentritt for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) MFA Arms Control Acting DDG Serhan Yigit told us March 7 that Turkey had decided against making any public statement concerning Russian threats to Poland and the Czech Republic as we had urged MFA officials to do on February 22 and 23 (ref a). ¶2. (C) Yigit told us the MFA is concerned that a public statement from Ankara could be interpreted as antagonistic by Iran, and could push Tehran to toughen its stance on the nuclear issue. The MFA is also concerned that a public statement on this issue might draw attention to Israel's nuclear weapons capability, a topic the MFA wished to avoid having to address publicly. ¶3. (C) We pushed back, emphasizing our belief that this is not about Iran but rather about allied solidarity for Poland and the Czech Republic in the face of unjustified Russian threats. Yigit was sympathetic to our points, but said the Turkish decision had been taken at very senior levels. We suggested Turkey at least consider a private approach to the Russians expressing concern for General Solovstov's threats against NATO allies and their patently unjustified nature. Yigit agreed to consult with his superiors on such an approach. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON