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DE RUEHAK #0581/01 0731025
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R 141025Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
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RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5551
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000581 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL ET AJ AL JO AF TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, February 2007 
 
 
(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 
-- Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes 
-- Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Meeting Held in 
Ankara 
-- 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 February 23.  Internal developments affecting Turkey's 
national security and the PKK terrorist organization topped the 
agenda.  Recent developments in Iraq were discussed and the 
importance of territorial integrity and political unity in Iraq was 
underlined.  The Council decided to intensify political and 
diplomatic efforts to overcome instability and tension created by 
the terrorism threat originating from northern Iraq as well as the 
dispute over the status of Kirkuk. 
 
Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. Turkey's Anti-Terrorism High Council, chaired by FM Abdullah Gul 
and with the participation of 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, convened on 
February 22.  This is the fourth meeting of the Council since 1997, 
but the third in the last year.  Recent counter-terrorism activities 
in Turkey were discussed and views on future activities were 
exchanged in the meeting.  Measures to be taken for the protection 
of borders and prevention of smuggling were among other issues 
discussed in the meeting (semi-official Anatolian News Agency, ANA). 
 
 
 
Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism 
Meeting Held in Ankara 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. The second meeting of the 'Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear 
Terrorism' was held on February 13 in Ankara.  Delegations from the 
US, Germany, Australia, China, Morocco, France, UK, Italy, Japan, 
Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkey participated in the two-day 
meeting.  Partner nations prepared a work program through 2008 to 
build individual and collective partner capacity to combat nuclear 
terrorism.  The third Global Initiative meeting is to take place in 
June 2007 in Kazakhstan. 
 
Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶4. Azerbaijan: CHOD GEN Yasar Buyukanit received Azerbaijani Defense 
Minister Sefer Aliyev on February 5.  No information about the 
subject of their meeting was made public.  Azeri media reported that 
prospects of military cooperation were discussed in the meeting. 
 
Azerbaijani President Ilham ALiyev received on February 27 Turkish 
Deputy CHOD GEN Ergin Saygun in Baku.  Turkey and Azerbaijan 
established a 'High Level Dialogue Commission' to help coordinate 
military cooperation and mutual assistance.  The commission will be 
co-chaired by GEN Ergin Saygun and Azerbaijani Defense Minister 
Safar Aliyev (ANA). 
 
¶5. Albania: Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) donated $710K in military 
 
ANKARA 00000581  002 OF 002 
 
 
equipment to the Albanian Armed Forces on February 13 to support the 
restructuring of its military capabilities in support of its efforts 
to join NATO.  Turkey has contributed $97M in military aid to 
Albania since 1998(ANA). 
 
¶6. Jordan: Turkish Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Comert received 
Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander Gen. Hussein Shodash on February 
¶21.  Noting that mutual visits and joint exercises will continue, 
Gen. Comert said that Jordan will participate in the Anatolian Eagle 
Exercise of 2007 in Turkey (ANA). 
 
¶7. Afghanistan: FM Gul met Afghan Defense Minister Adbul Rahim 
Wardak on February 27 in Kabul.  FM Gul also visited the Turkish 
Provincial Reconstruction Team in Wardak (ANA). 
 
 
Defense Industry Activity 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. Northrop Grumman ISS International signed a Letter of Intent with 
Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) on February 6 assigning TAI 
as a second source of the manufacture of the center fuselage for the 
F-35 Lightning II in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. 
Undersecretary for Defense Industries Murad Bayar announced that the 
agreement would bring industrial participation worth $ 4.3 billion 
to Turkey over 25 years.  Final assembly of the F-35s will take 
place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Fort Worth, Texas (ANA). 
 
 
¶9. The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) issued a 
Request for Proposal (RFP) for Medium Range Anti-Tank Weapon Systems 
(MRAWSs) including weapon units, 10 missiles per unit (total 800 
missiles), tripods, and related containers and accessories. 
Deadline for responding to the RFP is April 30. 
 
¶10. Ethiopian State Minister Kasahum Dendiz visited SSM on February 
8 and received a short briefing on the Turkish defense industry by 
Undersecretary Murad Bayar. 
 
¶11. SSM announced that the following companies received Request for 
Proposal for the New Type Submarine (AIP) Project: Armaris-France, 
Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A.-Italy, DW/MFI-Germany, 
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems&Sensors-USA, Navantia S.A.-Spain. 
 
 
 
 
WILSON