VZCZCXRO9050
PP RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #3081 1461114
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261114Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6008
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY
RHRRQJQ/COMSIXTHFLT NAPLES IT PRIORITY
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UNCLAS ANKARA 003081 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS GR TU NATO
SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA PROTESTS U.S. SHIP VISITS TO RHODES 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified -- please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) We received a diplomatic note from the Turkish MFA 
dated May 17 protesting the May 2-4 visit of two USN vessels 
to Rhodes (text of note below).  The GOT's long-standing 
position has been that the 1947 Paris Peace Treaties bar all 
navy ship visits to the demilitarized Greek Dodecanese 
islands.  We will not respond formally to the note, but in 
future conversations with appropriate MFA officials will 
remind them that in our interpretation of the treaties, naval 
vessels may indeed visit these islands, as long as they visit 
only civilian port facilities. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Text of diplomatic note: 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
2006/DHGY/207376 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America and has the honour to bring the following to the 
kind attention of the Embassy. 
 
The Ministry has been informed that the US navy vessels, "USS 
HUE CITY" and "USS TRENTON" paid a visit to the Island of 
Rhodes between 2-4 May 2006. 
 
The Ministry would like to emphasize that Rhodes and other 
Dodecanese islands have been placed under a permanent 
demilitarised status by the 1947 Paris Peace treaty which 
excludes all forms of military presence and activities on the 
said islands including port visits by naval vessels. 
 
Therefore, the Ministry requests the US Government to 
continue supporting the regime elaborated in the 1947 Paris 
Peace Treaty. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of 
the United States of America the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
Ankara, 17 May 2006 
 
END TEXT 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON