TURKEY: SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WITH ISRAEL AND THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000755 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2023 TAGS: PREL KWBG IS KPAL TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WITH ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY REF: A. STATE 34201 ¶B. 07 ANKARA 2779 ¶C. 07 ANKARA 2781 ¶D. 07 ANKARA 0222 ¶E. 07 ANKARA 2835 ¶F. 07 ANKARA 3045 Classified By: Acting DCM Kim DeBlauw, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) This cable is in response to ref a request. ¶2. (C) Summary: The GOT supports the Annapolis process and the Road Map, and increasingly sees itself as an impartial regional facilitator, capable of playing a constructive role in the Middle East peace process. Ankara hosted PA President Abbas and Israeli President Peres simultaneously in November 2007, when both addressed the Turkish parliament. The GOT views a peace deal between Syria and Israel as a necessary step for comprehensive peace in the Middle East, as well as for long-term stability in Lebanon, and has offered to facilitate an Israel-Syria dialogue. PM Erdogan stated in January 2008 that UN peacekeepers should guard the borders between Israel and the Palestinian territories to reduce tensions between the two sides. While there may be domestic political support for Turkey to participate in a UN peacekeeping mission if a peace deal is reached, the degree of Turkish participation would depend heavily on the required security arrangements. End Summary. ¶3. (C) Turkey views itself as uniquely positioned to contribute to Middle East peace, having positive relations with the U.S., Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, and Iran. The GOT lobbied to be part of the Annapolis process, pointing to its positive relationship with Israel and its support for the Palestinian Authority, as well as the Ankara Forum (ref b) and the historic appearances by Abbas and Peres at the Turkish parliament in November 2007 (ref c) as evidence of its ability to bring the two sides together. At the Paris Donors conference in December 2007, Turkey pledged $150 million in assistance from 2008 to 2010, one of the largest financial assistance packages ever offered by the GOT. Relations with Israel -------------- ¶4. (U) Turkey is one of a few countries with which Israel has strategic relations. Turkey was among the first countries to recognize the state of Israel (in 1949),and the groundwork of the strategic relationship was laid in 1958 when the two countries established a pact to exchange intelligence information and support each other's military development. Turkey and Israel enjoy extensive economic and military ties and have signed numerous agreements covering a wide range of issues in both the economic and military spheres. A free trade agreement between the two countries has been in place since 1997. Israel is one of Turkey's most important trade and investment partners in the region, with bilateral trade volume surpassing USD 2.7 billion in 2007. Israel and Turkey hold a semiannual strategic dialogue at the undersecretary level, most recently between Turkish MFA Undersecretary Apakan and Israeli MFA Director General Abrahmovich in Ankara on April 3. ¶5. (C) Turkey and Israel's defense ties reached new heights in the 1990s when the two nations signed over twenty military related agreements (ref d). In 1995, the GOT and GOI agreed to allow for the training of their air force pilots in each other,s air space. One year later, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) advised and equipped Turkish security forces on the borders with Iran, Iraq, and Syria. In 1996-1997, the two nations agreed to jointly produce air-to-ground missiles. The IDF upgraded 54 Turkish F-4 and F-5 jets, and M-60A1 tanks. In 2004, Turkey purchased 10 Israeli Heron UAVs; Turkey is currently leasing one Heron from Israel pending delivery of the ten systems this year and is using it against the terrorist PKK. In May 2005, during his visit to Israel, PM Erdogan announced the development of 17 new joint Turkish-Israeli military projects. Turkey had also expressed interest in conducting PAC-3 training with the Israelis. The two militaries have participated in annual trilateral (U.S.-Turkey-Israel) military search and rescue exercise Reliant Mermaid, most recently held in August 2007. ¶6. (C) Political relations have cooled periodically over the years. Israel was particularly critical of the ruling AK party's invitation to Hamas leader Khaled Mashal to visit Ankara in February 2006. Relations soured again in July 2006 during the Lebanon crisis, when Turkish politicians and media focused mainly on Lebanese suffering and gave little attention to Hizbollah rocket attacks and kidnappings directed at Israel. Recently, Turkish officials have scolded ANKARA 00000755 002 OF 003 Israel for using disproportionate force against Palestinians in Gaza. Despite these and various disputes over defense contracts, both sides claim the relationship is essential and worth protecting. The Israeli DCM in Ankara underscored to us recently that, despite historic ups and downs, Turkey will remain an "indispensable strategic partner" for Israel. She noted that upcoming high level exchanges include a visit by Buyukanit to Israel some time in the next three months, a possible visit by President Gul to Israel in November, and the visit of the Knesset President to Ankara in the coming months. Relations with PA and Other Palestinian Actors -------------- - ¶7. (U) Turkey's relationship with Palestine dates back to the Ottoman era. Ankara established official relations with the Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1975, and was among the first countries to recognize the Palestinian State on 15 November 1988. Turkey has maintained good relations with the Palestinian Authority (PA),and had numerous high level visits since the PA's establishment in 1996. Since 1995, GOT direct (government-to-government) and indirect assistance (through international organizations such as the UN Relief and Works Agency -- or UNWRA -- and the World Food Program) has totaled over $30 million. A bilateral free trade agreement was signed in 2004. The Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (the GOT's international assistance agency) established an office in Ramallah in May ¶2005. Turkey participates in the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH). Turkey remains interested in developing an industrial zone in the Palestinian territories that would provide the Palestinians with much-needed investment and jobs. ¶8. (U) Although there are no agreements in place to allow for formal bilateral security cooperation, Turkey has been providing assistance in the development of the PA police force. According to MFA Department Head for Security Affairs Metin Ergin, 96 Palestinian police cadets have participated in the Turkish National Police's (TNP) 4-year police academy since 1996. During the same period, over 130 Palestinian officers participated in TNP training courses, ranging from counter-narcotics to VIP protection to building security. Turkey provided Palestinian police 25,000 sets of police uniforms in 2005. ¶9. (C) The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has worked discreetly to cultivate ties with Hamas and believes it has some degree of influence with Palestinian actors on all sides. Although we are not aware of any evidence of direct GOT support for Hamas or other potential spoilers in the peace process, the GOT has allowed events such as the International Jerusalem Day (ref e) to take place in Turkey. Despite widespread international opposition and criticism, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal visited Ankara in February 2006 at the invitation of PM Erdogan, nominally acting in his capacity as AK party chairman. Senior GOT officials have been vocal in criticizing GOI for using disproportionate force in security operations against Palestinian groups, and have been skeptical of efforts to isolate Hamas since its take-over of Gaza in 2007. Syria Is Key -------------- ¶10. (C) Turkey views peace between Israel and Syria as a necessary step towards comprehensive peace in the Middle East as well as stability in Lebanon, and has urged Israel and Syria to hold talks. Senior Turkish officials, to include President Gul, have sought to ease recent tensions on the border between Israel and Syria, and have reportedly conveyed messages between Jerusalem and Damascus. Turkish civilian and military officials have told us repeatedly that, although they recognize Syrian intransigence on Lebanon and tolerance of terrorists, they still view Bashar Asad as more reasonable than his father, with the potential to disengage Syria from Iranian influence and bring it back to a more western orientation (ref f). They encourage us to engage more actively with Bashar. Post Agreement Security Arrangements -------------- ¶11. (C) The GOT strongly supports a UN peacekeeping role to secure the border between Israel and the Palestinian territories. In January, during an Alliance of Civilizations event in Madrid, PM Erdogan stated: "The UN must maintain peace and for this reason, they should have a peacekeeping force (at the border between Israel and Palestinian territories.)" ANKARA 00000755 003 OF 003 ¶12. (C) Contacts at the MFA and the Israeli embassy in Ankara believe there will be domestic political support for Turkey to contribute to a prospective UN-approved peacekeeping operation, but are cautious in predicting the extent to which Turkey would contribute to such an operation. MFA Department Head for Security Affairs Metin Ergin said he could well envision Turkey contributing to a UN-sanctioned peacekeeping contingent, assuming a peace deal is in place, but said it is impossible to even speculate what such a role might be at this point. Recalling the difficult parliamentary debate preceding Turkey's decision to contribute to UNIFIL, Israeli DCM Bar-li Sa'ar warned that Turkish participation in a peacekeeping mission may be difficult if the security situation remains fluid. She said Turkey's participation would also be risky for Israel. Specifically, she expressed concern that any IDF actions leading to Turkish casualties could damage the overall relationship: "If a Turkish peacekeeper were even scratched (due to IDF actions),it could have real repercussions on bilateral relations." Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON