TURKEY TO SUBMIT FINAL CFE ENTITLEMENT TRANSFER

UNCLAS ANKARA 000723 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCFE NATO PARM PREL TU SUBJECT: TURKEY TO SUBMIT FINAL CFE ENTITLEMENT TRANSFER MOU TEXT ON MARCH 30 REF: A. ANKARA 681 ¶B. STATE 37715 ¶1. (SBU) Per ref a, we followed up with Ahmet Muhtar Gun, MFA Deputy Director General for Arms Control and Disarmament, on March 28 to underscore US acceptance of Turkey's changes to the CFE Entitlement Transfer MOU text and press for the exchange of final documents by March 30. Gun said that the final text must be cleared by Deputy Foreign Minister Apakan, who is out of the country. In preparation for his return, Gun has prepared a Note Verbale notifying the US of Turkey's acceptance of the final text, which he will present to Apakan on the 30th. ¶2. (SBU) Recognizing the US desire to place the NATO IS document regarding the CFE transfer under silence procedure at the earliest date possible in order to ensure NATO approval by April 5, Gun pledged to send the Note Verbale containing Turkey's formal approval of the MOU text to the mission by noon local time on March 30. If, he said, the US can be prepared at that time to submit to the MFA a Note Verbale agreeing to this final version of the text, Turkey will agree to the subsequent placement of the NATO IS document under silence procedure that same day. ¶3. (SBU) Action Request: If Department agrees with this way forward, post requests Department provide approved text for a diplomatic note that responds to Turkey's note accepting the final, agreed CFE entitlement transfer MOU text. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ MCELDOWNEY