TURKEY RECEPTIVE TO STAFFING UN KOREA COMMAND AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001940 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018 TAGS: PREL MARR KS TU SUBJECT: TURKEY RECEPTIVE TO STAFFING UN KOREA COMMAND AND EXERCISE PLANNING Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Anthony Godfrey, reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Turkish General Staff (TGS) told Major General John Weida, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff, UN Command Korea, November 7 that Turkey would participate in planning for the theater-level exercise Key Resolve and would consider sending a Turkish officer to staff the UN Korea Command (Rear) Headquarters in Japan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) pledged support for sending a Turkish officer to the UN Korea Rear Command. End summary ¶2. (C) In a cordial office call and lunch hosted by TGS, MG Weida thanked Major General Erdal Ozturk, Chief for Plans and Operations, for Turkey's contribution to the UN Korea Command, noting the useful role of Chief Turkish UNC Liaison Officer COL Kenan Unal (dually accredited at the Embassy of Turkey in Seoul as Defense Attach). MG Weida also expressed appreciation for accreditation of two new Turkish liaison officers in Seoul, COL Oguz Bozkurt and CMR Zafer Inal. ¶3. (C) In response to an August 28, 2008 letter of request from UN Korea Commander GEN Walter Sharp, Ozturk told MG Weida that Turkey would send officers to participate in the planning for Key Resolve, a United Nations Command/Combined Forces exercise. In addition, he said that Turkey would consider sending an officer to staff the UN Korea (Rear) Headquarters in Japan. MG Weida noted that Thailand is currently providing a force representative there, and that the Philippines and United Kingdom had previously supported this requirement. ¶4. (C) In a separate call at MFA, MG Weida reiterated appreciation for Turkey's support for the UN Korea Command to Director General for the Americas, Ambassador Vefahan Ocak. Ambassador Ocak noted the historic significance for Turkey of its sending troops to join UN forces in the Korean conflict. He told MG Weida that MFA supported the sending of a Turkish officer to the UN Korea (Rear) Headquarters, and pledged to convey MFA support to TGS. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON