TURKEY/AFGHANISTAN: MORE TRAINING POSSIBLE,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001702

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/RPM, SCA/A

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/AFGHANISTAN: MORE TRAINING POSSIBLE,
ADDITIONAL TROOPS UNLIKELY

REF: SECSTATE 120807

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Jeffrey, Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador briefed Turkish General Staff
Deputy Chief Aslan Guner November 24 on the President's plan
to announce a significant increase in U.S. civilian and
military contributions to Afghanistan (reftel) and pressed
Turkey to strongly support this announcement and provide
significant additional contributions. Guner said Turkey was
unlikely to commit additional troops or lift existing caveats
on its forces. He said Turkey is looking to boost its
training activities in support of ISAF. We also demarched
the MFA, including Deputy U/S Engin Soysal, and received a
very similar response. The MFA underscored Turkey's
intensive efforts on the diplomatic and reconstruction track
and said it was developing options to support NATO's training
efforts in Afghanistan. End Summary.


2. (C) GEN Guner understood that CJCS ADM Mullen was
scheduled to phone TGS Chief of Staff GEN Basbug and
acknowledged that Afghanistan was the likely subject of the
call. Ambassador stressed that Afghanistan is a top priority
for the USG, that this is a critical juncture in the
eight-year long international effort, and that it is crucial
for all Allies to redouble our efforts now to ensure that
NATO's signal operation succeeds. Guner highlighted the
substantial additional contributions Turkey announced in
April: doubling of forces to about 1800 troops in Kabul,
taking command of RC-Capital, sending three additional
Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams (for a total of four
Turkish OMLTs),agreeing to field a second PRT in Jawzjan
that will also cover Sari Pul Province, providing significant
police and military training, sending numerous teams to
RC-North as part of the Election Support Force, sending
helicopters to meet a critical ISAF shortfall, and pledging a
total of 200 million USD for Afghanistan's economic
development. Noting that Turkey is still in the final stages
of fulfilling these commitments, Guner assessed that it would
be extremely unlikely for Turkey to send additional troops.


3. (C) On lifting caveats, he noted that Turkey's "soft
power" in Afghanistan -- from which all Allies derive some
benefit -- relies in large part on the trust of the
population. Lifting Turkey's two remaining caveats could be
seen by the population as a shift which could erode
confidence in Turkey as a friendly power.


4. (C) The Ambassador pushed back, underscoring that the new
NATO approach was to use forces to protect the population;
limits on actions troops could take in exigent circumstances
would reduce their effectiveness in protecting the Afghan
people, and consequently the Afghan people's support. Guner
said that Turkey may be able to take additional steps to
boost NATO's training efforts, noting that standing up a
capable Afghanistan security force is critical to the
Alliance's "exit strategy."


5. (C) We also delivered the demarche to MFA Deputy DG for
South Asia Burak Akcapar on November 24 and DCM met with MFA
Deputy U/S Soysal on November 25. Akcapar recapitulated
Turkey's contributions since April 2009 and said he hoped
these contributions would not be "counted against Turkey."
He said that Turkey's approach on Afghanistan has always been
to emphasize civilian engagement, and that beyond its
military contributions, Turkey is offering vital
contributions in diplomacy and reconstruction that are also
essential in Afghanistan.


6. (C) Highlighting Turkey's trilateral mechanism with
Afghanistan and Pakistan aimed at building trust between
Kabul and Islamabad, Akcapar said that Turkey is planning
five key meetings over the next several months, to include
meetings among the heads of state, foreign ministers,
education ministers, chiefs of defense and intelligence
chiefs. The MFA is also aiming to encourage greater regional
ownership and dialogue regarding the challenges in
Afghanistan and Pakistan and is planning a "Neighbors Summit"
and a "Regional Brain Trust Summit" involving, respectively,

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the political and intellectual leaders of Afghanistan and its
immediate neighbors.


7. (C) Reviewing Turkey's approach on Afghanistan and
Pakistan, Akcapar said it is crucial that the civilian
dimension must be seen as leading the effort and that a surge
in civilian capabilities to win hearts and minds is
essential. The reintegration process will also be key,
Akcapar noted, and Turkey will do its part in support of this
effort.


8. (C) Akcapar noted that the MFA is currently in the process
of examining options for expanding Turkey's military training
efforts and that this may be an area where Turkey can offer
additional meaningful contributions. Citing General
McCrystal's 60-day assessment, Akcapar said that the current
plan calls for an additional 5000 Afghan conscripts each
month. He stressed that the only way to successfully
integrate such massive numbers is to ensure that there is an
effective officer corps and that Turkey is considering how it
can contribute to the development of Afghanistan's officer
corps. Akcapar concluded by echoing Guner's assessment: He
does not believe Turkey will be able to provide additional
troops or lift caveats.


9. (C) Comment: It is notable we received virtually the
identical message from the military and the MFA. It appears
that there has already been high-level GoT coordination on
the issue, likely as part of Turkey's preparations for PM
Erdogan's December 7 meeting with POTUS. End Comment.

JEFFREY

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