TURKEY: STRONG NEGATIVE REACTION EXPECTED ON NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001820 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR NATO TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: STRONG NEGATIVE REACTION EXPECTED ON NATO SUPPORT TO NOBLE ARCHER REF: A. ANKARA 941 ¶B. ATHENS 966 Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) We understand plans are moving forward to commit NATO assets to participate in Exercise Noble Archer 2008, an exercise scheduled to begin December 2, which includes a flight track over Agios Efstratios, a small island in the Aegean Sea. Turkey asserts that the demilitarized status of this island is under dispute. A NATO decision to agree to an exercise including overflight of this island would be interpreted by Turkey as a NATO decision on the dispute itself. Based on Turkey's sharp and negative reactions in May 2008 concerning the possibility of NATO support to the exercise then (ref a),we fully expect the GOT would have a similar response if the exercise goes forward with NATO support. ¶2. (C) Turkey will likely view a SACEUR decision to provide support to the exercise as a policy reversal, as NATO did not extend support to the exercise in May. Without taking a side in the dispute and while acknowledging that the decision as to whether NATO supports the exercise is a NATO matter, we seek to call attention to the consequences for key US policy interests in the region that such a decision could have. Embassy Ankara's Recommendation -------------- ¶3. (C) NATO has been consistent in discouraging both Greece and Turkey from trying to use NATO participation in national exercises to affirm their respective claims on Aegean issues. In this case as well, it would be helpful to have NATO express willingness to support exercises as long as they did not include as part of the exercise islands that have been under dispute in the past. We are in full agreement with Embassy Athens that we should not allow Greek and Turkish machinations on NATO participation in national exercises in the Aegean to become a US problem and that the issue must remain firmly in NATO's corridors (ref b). Both sides should be told by NATO to focus on the military preparedness of their country and of NATO when planning exercises rather than how NATO participation in an exercise could validate their political position regarding the Aegean. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON