TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, February 2007

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000581 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS MARR PREL ET AJ AL JO AF TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, February 2007 (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 -- Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes -- Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Meeting Held in Ankara -- 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 February 23. Internal developments affecting Turkey's national security and the PKK terrorist organization topped the agenda. Recent developments in Iraq were discussed and the importance of territorial integrity and political unity in Iraq was underlined. The Council decided to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to overcome instability and tension created by the terrorism threat originating from northern Iraq as well as the dispute over the status of Kirkuk. Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes -------------- ¶2. Turkey's Anti-Terrorism High Council, chaired by FM Abdullah Gul and with the participation of 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, convened on February 22. This is the fourth meeting of the Council since 1997, but the third in the last year. Recent counter-terrorism activities in Turkey were discussed and views on future activities were exchanged in the meeting. Measures to be taken for the protection of borders and prevention of smuggling were among other issues discussed in the meeting (semi-official Anatolian News Agency, ANA). Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Meeting Held in Ankara -------------- ¶3. The second meeting of the 'Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism' was held on February 13 in Ankara. Delegations from the US, Germany, Australia, China, Morocco, France, UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkey participated in the two-day meeting. Partner nations prepared a work program through 2008 to build individual and collective partner capacity to combat nuclear terrorism. The third Global Initiative meeting is to take place in June 2007 in Kazakhstan. Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -------------- --- ¶4. Azerbaijan: CHOD GEN Yasar Buyukanit received Azerbaijani Defense Minister Sefer Aliyev on February 5. No information about the subject of their meeting was made public. Azeri media reported that prospects of military cooperation were discussed in the meeting. Azerbaijani President Ilham ALiyev received on February 27 Turkish Deputy CHOD GEN Ergin Saygun in Baku. Turkey and Azerbaijan established a 'High Level Dialogue Commission' to help coordinate military cooperation and mutual assistance. The commission will be co-chaired by GEN Ergin Saygun and Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Aliyev (ANA). ¶5. Albania: Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) donated $710K in military ANKARA 00000581 002 OF 002 equipment to the Albanian Armed Forces on February 13 to support the restructuring of its military capabilities in support of its efforts to join NATO. Turkey has contributed $97M in military aid to Albania since 1998(ANA). ¶6. Jordan: Turkish Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Comert received Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander Gen. Hussein Shodash on February ¶21. Noting that mutual visits and joint exercises will continue, Gen. Comert said that Jordan will participate in the Anatolian Eagle Exercise of 2007 in Turkey (ANA). ¶7. Afghanistan: FM Gul met Afghan Defense Minister Adbul Rahim Wardak on February 27 in Kabul. FM Gul also visited the Turkish Provincial Reconstruction Team in Wardak (ANA). Defense Industry Activity -------------- ¶8. Northrop Grumman ISS International signed a Letter of Intent with Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) on February 6 assigning TAI as a second source of the manufacture of the center fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. Undersecretary for Defense Industries Murad Bayar announced that the agreement would bring industrial participation worth $ 4.3 billion to Turkey over 25 years. Final assembly of the F-35s will take place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Fort Worth, Texas (ANA). ¶9. The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Medium Range Anti-Tank Weapon Systems (MRAWSs) including weapon units, 10 missiles per unit (total 800 missiles),tripods, and related containers and accessories. Deadline for responding to the RFP is April 30. ¶10. Ethiopian State Minister Kasahum Dendiz visited SSM on February 8 and received a short briefing on the Turkish defense industry by Undersecretary Murad Bayar. ¶11. SSM announced that the following companies received Request for Proposal for the New Type Submarine (AIP) Project: Armaris-France, Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A.-Italy, DW/MFI-Germany, Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems&Sensors-USA, Navantia S.A.-Spain. WILSON