Cablegate: Turkey: Pol-Mil Round-Up: October & November 2007

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MARR PREL YI CI AJ IZ GR KS IT UK IS CY PL
EG, RO, TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP: October & November 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
--------

-- Turkish CHOD Delivers Remarks at War Academies
-- Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes
-- TGS Reacts to House Committee Vote on Armenian Genocide
Resolution
-- Turkish Parliament Approves Petition for CBO
-- National Security Council Convenes
-- Turkish Land Forces Carries Out Annual Mobilization Exercise
-- Toros-2007 Military Exercise Takes Place in North Cyprus
-- Supreme Military Council Convenes
-- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries
-- Defense Industry Activity

Turkish CHOD Delivers Remarks at War Academies
--------------------------------------------- -

1. In the keynote speech delivered at the opening of the Turkish War
Academies on Oct. 1, CHOD GEN Yasar Buyukanit underlined the theme
that no power can divide Turkey, change its secular structure, or
shake the Turkish nation's confidence in its military. Emphasizing
the importance of the fight against terrorism, GEN Buyukanit said
actions, not words, are what counts. He also noted that Iraq was
moving towards a federal structure and that this posed risks for
Turkey.

Anti-Terrorism High Council Convenes
------------------------------------

2. The Anti-Terrorism High Council convened under PM Tayyip Erdogan
on October 9. A statement released following the meeting noted that
the Council discussed recent terrorist attacks and reaffirmed
Turkey's determination in fight against terrorism. The statement
further indicated that necessary orders and instruments were given
to authorities in order to take all legal, political and economic
measures to end the presence of the terrorist organization in the
neighboring country.

TGS Reacts to House's Armenian Genocide Resolution
--------------------------------------------- -----
3. Turkish CHOD GEN Yasar Buyukanit sent a letter to his
counterpart, Chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff, ADM Mullen, on
Oct. 9 noting that if the resolution is adopted it would cause
serious problems in US-Turkish relations. GEN Buyukanit, in Rome on
an official visit on Oct. 18, told the press that if the resolution
should be adopted by the full House, Turkey-US military ties will
"never be the same." "But I hope it will not pass, and our ties
with the US will be better," Buyukanit said. Later on Oct. 30,
Turkish General Staff (TGS) posted a 34-page report on the events of
1915 on its website. The report, entitled "Issues Missed in the
1915 Armenian Debate," was prepared by the TGS's research center
Strategic Research Study Center (SAREM).
Turkish Parliament Approves Motion for Cross-border Operation
--------------------------------------------- ------

4. Turkish parliament (TGNA) approved on October 17 a motion
allowing troops to cross into northern Iraq to engage PKK terrorists
based there. The resolution expires in one year and was approved by
a vote of 507 to 19.

National Security Council Convenes

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----------------------------------

5. Turkey's National Security Council (NSC) held its bi-monthly
meeting on October 24. President Abdullah Gul chaired the meeting
for the first time. Political and military measures to be taken in
line with the TGNA motion of October 17, foreseeing a cross-border
operation into northern Iraq, topped the agenda. The NSC discussed
economic measures to be taken against the groups directly or
indirectly supporting terrorists organization in the region. The
Council also discussed the Armenian resolution adopted by the US
House of Representative's Foreign Affairs Committee.

Turkish Land Forces Carries Out Annual Mobilization Exercise
--------------------------------------------- ------

6. Turkish Land Forces Command carried out the annual mobilization
exercise Yildirim-2007 in Ankara on October 18-26. Reserve
personnel and related public institutions participated in the
exercise.

Toros-2007 Military Exercise Takes Place in
North Cyprus
---------------------------------------------

7. Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot Security
Forces jointly carried out the Toros-2007 military exercise on
November 8. The exercise included an operation against a mocked
hijacked plane, search and rescue operations, commando training
demonstrations and a combat weapons and equipment exhibition. TRNC
(Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) "President" Mehmet Ali Talat,
"Prime Minister" Ferdi Sabit Soyer, former "president" of TRNC Rauf
Denktas, force commanders, ministers, as well as a number of local
and foreign guests watched the exercise.

Supreme Military Council Convenes
---------------------------------

8. Turkey's Supreme Military Council (YAS) convened under PM Tayyip
Erdogan on November 29-30. The second of the traditional two
Supreme Council meetings each year assessed external threats,
Turkish Armed Forces' readiness for war, and force structure
requirements. The Council expelled 38 military personnel, seven of
them for engaging in Islamic fundamentalist activities. PM Erdogan
and defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, the only civilian members of the
Council, noted their reservations about the expulsions, and take the
position that such decisions should be made in the courts. The
Council decisions were approved by President Abdullah Gul without
reservation.

Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries
--------------------------------------------- ---

9. Greece: TGS reported 56 air interceptions by Greek jets in
international airspace over the Aegean Sea in October and 51 in
November. 12 incidents of violation of Turkish territorial waters
in the Aegean, and two violations of airspace were reported in
October.

10. Turkish Coast Guard Commander Admiral Can Erenoglu visited his
Greek counterpart Admiral Ilias Sionidis on November 6. During the
visit, they exchanged views on search-and-rescue efforts and illegal
border crossings in the Aegean Sea.

11. Republic of Korea: Turkish CHOD GEN Yasar Buyukanit received his
Korean counterpart GEN Kwan-Jin Kim on October 8. GEN Buyukanit
honored GEN Kim with a medal of merit. GEN Kim said that Turkey and
Korea will boost bilateral relations through military cooperation,

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especially in the defense industry area.

12. Italy: Turkish CHOD GEN Buyukanit visited his Italian
counterpart ADM Giamapolo di Paola in Rome on October 16. No
information was released on the outcome of the visit.

13. Britain: Turkey signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with
the UK on October 23. The Agreement covers issues including
Turkey's membership to EU, joint cooperation against terrorism
organization PKK and Al Qaeda, development of regional stability,
defense, commerce and energy. Bilateral meetings are planned every
six months to discuss issues listed in the agreement.
14. Israel: GEN Buyukanit postponed an official visit to Tel Aviv
planned for Oct. 30-31. Turkish media announced the reason for the
postponement was the possibility of a Turkish cross-border operation
into northern Iraq. GEN Buyukanit was expected to meet with his
Israeli counterpart and Israeli Defense Minister.
15. Poland: Turkish CHOD GEN Yasar Buyukanit received his Polish
counterpart GEN Franciszek Gogar on November 2. No information on
the visit was made public.

16. Egypt: Turkey signed the Framework Document for Strategic
Partnership with Egypt on November 3. The document includes
language on cooperation against terrorism and extremism as well as
encouraging efforts to find solutions to regional problems and
strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.

17. Romania: Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul received his
Romanian counterpart Teodor Melescanu on November 27. Minister
Melescanu stressed that his visit to Ankara will contribute to
development of stronger relations between defense industries of both
countries (ANA).

Defense Industry Activity
-------------------------

18. The Turkish government assigned new members to the Defense
Industry High Coordination Council. The Council, which convenes at
least twice a year under PM Erdogan, will consist of State Minister
Mehmet Simsek, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Foreign Minister Ali
Babacan, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, and Industry and Trade
Minister Zafer Caglayan. The Council is responsible for following
up planning and coordination in light of general strategies set by
the cabinet and giving regulatory directives, as well as identifying
procurement methods for weapons and equipment to be procured by the
Defense Industry Support Fund in conformity with the TGS's Strategic
Target Plan.

19. SSM (Defense Industry Undersecretariat) announced a list of 17
companies that have responded to the RFI (Request for Information)
for the Turkish Short Range defense Missile system T-LALADMIS.
Raytheon is the only American company which responded to the RFI.

20. SSM announced a list of 15 companies that responded to the RFI
for the Turkish Medium Altitude Air Defense System T-MALADMIS.
Raytheon was the only U.S. firm responding to the RFI.

21. SSM announced that the contracts between SSM, TUSAS-TAI, Agusta
Westland and Aselsan were signed on September 7 in connection with
the ATAK Helicopter Program. The contracts are valued at
approximately $ 2.7 billion.

22. Aselsan, a major defense contractor in Turkey, will produce
software-defined radios (SDR) for Indonesia. This is the first ever
Turkish defense product exported to Indonesia, according to
Anatolian News Agency.

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23. Turkey's Middle East Technical University developed two
different unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that have 2.2 meter and
4.3 meter wingspan. UAVs were designed by the Aerospace Engineering
Department along with several other universities and companies.
UAVs can reportedly fly from 1-6 hours in a range of 10-150 km
(ANA).

24. SSM announced the list of companies that have submitted bids for
the new submarine project: DCNS (France), HDW/MFI (Germany),
Navantia S.A. (Spain).

25. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Airbus signed on November
6 a cooperation protocol for manufacturing fuselage panels of A400M
and A320 passenger jets within the framework of a contract signed in
1998. The volume of business is expected to be in the $30 million
range.

WILSON

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