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Viewing cable 07ANKARA142, TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, December 2006

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07ANKARA142 2007-01-24 15:44 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO7282
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #0142/01 0241544
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241544Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0690
INFO RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ4/ECJ5//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//ISA-EUR/DSCA//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-5//
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1573
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1987
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1445
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7753
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0117
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0349
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0229
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0089
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0250
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0970
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5426
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000142 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL AJ KG GR YI TS PK IS TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, December 2006 
 
(Note: This is one of a regular series of unclassified reports on 
significant Turkish defense and national security issues in the 
press and other open sources.  End note.) 
 
Contents 
-------- 
 
-- National Security Council Convenes 
-- Defense Industry Executive Committee Convenes 
-- Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes 
-- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
-- Defense Industry Activity 
 
National Security Council Convenes 
---------------------------------- 
 
1. Turkey's National Security Council (NSC) held its bi-monthly 
meeting on December 28.  Internal developments affecting Turkey's 
national security and the PKK terrorist organization topped the 
agenda.  Recent developments in Iraq and the Iraq Study Group's 
report were discussed and Turkey's related policies reviewed. 
Participants noted the importance of intensifying Turkey's 
cooperation with the USA, Iraq's neighbors, the United Nations, 
Organization of the Islamic Conference and Arab League.  Turkey-EU 
relations and Cyprus were among other issues discussed in the 
meeting. 
 
Defense Industry Executive Committee Convenes 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2. Turkey's top decision making body on defense industrial 
procurement, the Defense Industry Executive Committee (DIEC), 
comprised of the Prime Minister, Chief of the General Staff and 
Minister of Defense, convened on December 12.  The DIEC was expected 
to give its final decision on the tactical and reconnaissance Attack 
Helicopter Project (ATAK), but postponed its decision after the 
Turkish General Staff (TGS) proposed a trial of South Africa's Denel 
and Italy's Augusta Westland helicopters, the two companies which 
submitted bids for the helicopter tender.  The committee approved 
the purchase of 30 F-16s from Lockheed Martin and agreed on Turkey's 
continued participation in the Joint Strike Fighter project.  DIEC 
also authorized the Defense Industry Undersecretariat (SSM) to 
launch eight new projects with maximum local content under the 
10-Year Procurement Program. (Turkish Defense and Aerospace Update 
magazine) 
 
Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes 
------------------------------------ 
 
3. Turkey's Anti-Terrorism High Council, chaired by FM Gul, convened 
on December 20.  This is the second meeting in 2006 but only the 
third meeting since 1997.  Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, 
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Jandarma 
Commander Gen Isik Kosaner, Deputy CHOD Gen Ergin Saygun, National 
Security Council Secretary General Yigit Alpogan, Prime Ministry 
Undersecretary Omer Dincer, Turkish National Intelligence 
Organization Undersecretary Emre Taner and Turkey's Special Envoy to 
Combat the PKK Terrorist Organization, Gen Edip Baser, attended the 
meeting.  There was no announcement of the meeting topics or 
outcomes. (ANA) 
 
Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4. Azerbaijan: Turkish Jandarma Forces Commander Gen Isik Kosaner 
visited Azerbaijani Law Enforcement Commander Gen Zakir Hasanov in 
Baku on December 6.  Speaking after the visit, Gen Kosaner said that 
his visit would constitute an opportunity to boost cooperation, 
mutual assistance, exchange of information and training activities, 
according to the semi-official Anatolian News Agency (ANA). 
 
5. Kyrgyzstan: A Turkish delegation headed by Turkish General Staff 
Head of Logistics MG Zafer Camlica met with Kyrgyz Defense Minister 
Ismail Isakiv in Bishkek on December 9.  The Turkish delegation also 
visited the Kyrgyz National Guard Command and Border Services Unit 
 
ANKARA 00000142  002 OF 003 
 
 
to discuss military technical training.  MG Camlica noted that 
Turkey would provide $700,000 worth of technical assistance to the 
Kyrgyz Armed Forces and Border Services Unit as well as $230,000 
worth of military and mountaineering sports equipment and off-road 
vehicles to the Kyrgyz Armed Forces. (ANA) 
 
6. Greece: Greek Coast Guard Commander Gen Elias A. Sionides visited 
his Turkish counterpart Gen Can Erenoglu on December 12. 
Cooperation against regional threats, illegal migration and maritime 
trafficking were discussed. (ANA) 
 
7. Serbia: Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul received his Serbian 
counterpart Zoran Stankovic on December 13.  Stankovic visited 
defense companies like Havelsan and Aselsan during his visit. 
Noting Turkey's interest in increasing cooperation with Serbia, MOD 
Gonul suggested that the two countries could learn from each others' 
counter-terrorism experiences. (ANA) 
 
8. Tunisia: Tunisian National Defense Minister Gen Mohammad Haddad 
visited MOD Gonul on December 19.  Noting that there were several 
military and industrial agreements with Tunisia, Gonul said that 128 
Tunisian personnel have been trained in Turkey (ANA). 
 
9. Pakistan: Turkish land Forces Commander GEN Ilker Basbug visited 
Pakistani Deputy Land Forces Commander GEN Ahsan Saleem Hyat and 
Pakistani CHOD GEN Ehsan Ul Haq on December 19 in Islamabad.  Gen 
Basbug was decorated with the Medal of Honor by Pakistani President 
Pervez Musharraf during his visit. 
 
10. Israel: A delegation of experts on terrorism, intelligence and 
the defense industry headed by Turkish Deputy CHOD GEN Ergin Saygun 
held series of meetings at the Israeli Defense Ministry and General 
Staff Headquarters on December 26.  During the visit, the Turkish 
delegation talked about developments in the Middle East and 
proliferation threat in the region.  Both sides presented their 
analysis of the threat, and reviewed counter-terrorism cooperation 
and intelligence sharing, including via satellite.  (ANA) 
 
Defense Industry Activity 
------------------------- 
 
11. Lockheed Martin won an $800 million contract to upgrade Turkey's 
fleet of F-16 fighter jets.  The company will provide 216 
modernization kits to upgrade F-16C and D model aircraft in the 
Turkish Air Forces inventory.  This contract is the continuation of 
an initial contract signed in April 2005 between the governments of 
Turkey and the US.  Some major Turkish newspapers speculated that 
the tender was awarded to Lockheed Martin since US Special envoy for 
countering PKK terrorism Joseph Ralston is a member of Lockheed 
Martin's Board of Directors.  The Defense Ministry released a 
statement on December 28 noting that the project was under a Foreign 
Military Sales program based on an agreement signed on April 26, 
2005. (ANA) 
 
12. TAI-TUSAS signed a $120 million contract with SSM on December 1 
for the avionics modernization of 13 C-130 transport planes of the 
Turkish Air Forces.  After completing the project TAI will be the 
second center, outside the US, capable of the repair, maintenance 
and modernization of those planes. (ANA) 
 
13. The Eurofighter Consortium, an Italian, German, British and 
Spanish partnership which produces the air defense fighter Typhoon, 
and is competing with the Joint Strike Fighter initiative, offered 
Turkey industrial participation in the Eurofighter, including 
partnership with the elite club for European aerospace industry. 
(ANA) 
 
14. EADS Astrium of Britain, IAI of Israel, Ohb System of Germany 
and Telespazio of Italy submitted bids for Turkey's first 
military-purpose satellite project 'Gokturk'.  The project includes 
the in-orbit delivery of one optical reconnaissance satellite, plus 
one fixed and one mobile ground station. (ANA) 
 
15. TAI-TUSAS completed the first AW139 helicopter fuselage and sent 
it to Agusta Westland on December 21.  The contract signed between 
 
ANKARA 00000142  003 OF 003 
 
 
TAI and Agusta Westland foresees production of 250 fuselages over 12 
years. (ANA) 
 
16. Aselsan announced on December 25 that it would supply Sikorsky 
avionics, including FLIR, Multi-Function Displays, Flight Management 
System, INS/GPS and radio sets for the second batch of Seahawks 
being procured for the Turkish Naval Forces. (Turkish Defense and 
Aerospace Update magazine) 
 
17. Aselsan announced an extension of the proposal deadline for the 
Turkish Airborne Reconnaissance Program from December 22 to January 
26.  The program covers procurement of four Podded Reconnaissance 
SAR/GMTI Sensor Systems (SA-RENS) and related subsystems for the 
RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft of Turkish Armed Forces. (Turkish 
Defense and Aerospace Update magazine) 
 
18. SSM announced an RFI (Request for Information) for 10 Heavy Lift 
Helicopters to meet Turkish Land Forces' requirements.  The deadline 
for requesting RFI document from SSM is January 15. 
 
19. SSM announced an RFP (Request for Proposal) for the acquisition 
of six air independent propulsion submarines (AIP) for the New Type 
Submarine Project.  The Deadline for the RFP is January 31. 
 
 
WILSON