VZCZCXRO7310
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #2049/01 2221445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101445Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3338
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 2213
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3141
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0030
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 8284
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 5877
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002049 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL UP GR TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, July 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 
-------- 
 
-- Silk Road-2007 Flag Officers Seminar in Antalya 
-- Turkish Admiral Takes over Command of NATO's SNMG-2 
-- SEEBRIG Moved to Istanbul 
-- Former Turkish Naval Commander Imprisoned for Corruption 
-- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
-- Defense Industry Activity 
 
 
Silk Road-2007 Flag Officers Seminar in Antalya 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶1. The Silk Road-2007 Flag Officers Seminar (the 8th annual seminar) 
was held on July 2-6 in Antalya.  Defense ministers and army chiefs 
from NATO, Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue and 
Istanbul Cooperation Initiative countries participated in the 
seminar.  In the keynote address, Chief of Defense Staff GEN Yasar 
Buyukanit complained about the lack of international support for 
Turkey's struggle against the PKK.  Chairman of the European Union 
Military Committee GEN Henri Bentegeat and NATO Military Committee 
Chairman GEN Raymond Henault held a joint press conference 
underlining the importance of cooperation with Turkey. 
 
 
Turkish Admiral Takes over Command of NATO's SNMG-2 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2. Rear Admiral Michael R. Groothousen, USN, handed over the command 
of NATO's Standing Naval Mission Group (SNMG-2) to Turkish Rear 
Admiral Sinan Ertugrul in a ceremony at Aksaz Naval Base in the 
Aegean city of Marmaris/Mugla on July 5.  SNMG-2 consists of vessels 
of member countries the US, Turkey, Greece, Italy and the UK. 
Commander of NATO's Maritime Component Command, Naples, Italian Vice 
Admiral Roberto Cesaretti delivered a speech at the ceremony 
defining the SNMG-2's mission as providing humanitarian aid, 
preserving the peace, evacuation of wounded civilians in times of 
disaster, and carrying out counter-terrorist activities in the 
Mediterranean. 
 
 
SEEBRIG Moved to Istanbul 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. On July 10, the Southeastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) 
Headquarters was relocated from Constanta, Romania to Istanbul. 
SEEBRIG is a multinational and military organization formed by 
Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey in 
1999 to develop cooperation and dialogue among southeastern European 
countries, contribute to regional security and stability as well as 
foster closer bilateral relations among member countries.  Istanbul 
will host the SEEBRIG HQ from 2007 to 2011, when the HQ will be 
relocated to Greece. 
 
 
Former Turkish Naval Commander Imprisoned for Corruption 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Ret. Admiral Ilhami Erdil, the first Turkish service commander to 
be incarcerated, was imprisoned on July 3.  Ret. ADM Erdil was 
sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment on charges of fraudulent 
acquisition of personal wealth during his tenure as Naval Forces 
Commander between 1999 and 2001.  The court expelled him from the 
military and stripped him of all privileges as a retired force 
commander.  Erdil returned all military medals, insignia and 
documents certifying a military career in Turkish Armed Forces 
(TAF).  Only one other Turkish general officer has served jail time: 
MG Mustafa Muglali, who was tried and convicted of executing 33 
villagers in Mugla province in 1948.  Five other generals convicted 
by the TGS Military Court received prison sentences; however, none 
of the sentences were carried out. 
 
 
Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
 
ANKARA 00002049  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. Ukraine: Turkish Naval Forces participated in the Sea Breeze-2007 
Exercise at Odessa on July 9 with several frigates, a submarine and 
a helicopter.  The objective of the exercise was to improve 
cooperation among multinational forces by performing practical sea 
training.  The US, Georgia, Greece and Turkey participated. 
 
¶6. Greece: TGS reported 30 interceptions by Greek jets in 
international airspace over the Aegean Sea, six violations of 
territorial water in Aegean Sea and one violation of airspace during 
the month of July. 
 
 
Defense Industry Activity 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. Murad Bayar, Undersecretary of Defense Industry (SSM), said on 
July 10 that 1,932 million Euro, the highest offer for the public 
tender to construct the new international flights terminal of the 
government owned Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Anatolian side of 
Istanbul, will be allocated to new defense industry projects. 
 
¶8. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in close cooperation with 
Lockheed Martin, will equip F-16 fighters of the Turkish Air Forces 
with sophisticated weapons and flight systems under the 'Peace Onyx 
(PO) III' program.  The program began with the delivery of the first 
four F-16s to the TAI facilities in Ankara on July 2, as reported by 
the semi-official Anatolian News Agency (ANA). 
 
¶9. TAI signed an agreement with South Korean 'Korea Aerospace 
Industries Ltd' on July 18 to acquire 40 basic trainer aircraft for 
Turkish Air Forces Command.  Under the program, TAI will complete 
the manufacturing, assembly, flight test and delivery of 40 basic 
trainer aircraft to replace the existing T-37s that are in the 
inventory of Turkish Air Forces Command (ANA). 
 
¶10. The large government owned communication company Aselsan signed 
on July 27 a $ 2.8 million contract with Uruguayan Armed Forces for 
the delivery, installation and training activities for radio and 
communication systems software (ANA). 
 
 
 
 
MCELDOWNEY