Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA581
2007-03-14 10:25:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, February 2007

Tags:  MASS MARR PREL ET AJ AL JO AF TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4821
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
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FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1325
INFO RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4/ECJ5//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//ISA-EUR/DSCA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5//
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1742
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2321
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1475
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0056
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0262
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0883
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0042
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5551
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
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
----------------------------------

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