US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5897

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005897 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/16/2013 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, TU, GR, CY 
SUBJECT: TURKEY OPEN TO CANCELING FALL MILITARY EXERCISES 
ON CYPRUS 
 
REF: A. STATE 257142 
     B. ATHENS 3133 
     C. NICOSIA 1827 
     D. ATHENS 2619 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, reasons 1.5, b/d. 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: In receiving Ref A demarche, GOT 
interlocutors from MFA and TGS did not push back on canceling 
this year's Toros/Barbaros exercise and expressed openness to 
following past practice of mirroring the Greek activities. 
However, they were characteristically unwilling to commit to 
doing so prior to knowing what Athens' plans were.  End 
Summary. 
 
 
2. (C) In a September 11 meeting with MFA DG for Eastern Med 
Affairs Necip Eguz, Pol-Mil Counselor urged the GOT to follow 
the precedent established over the last two years of 
mirroring the Toxotis/Nikiforos activities of Greece and 
Cyprus.  Pol-Mil Counselor noted we were delivering the same 
message of restraint in Athens and Nicosia.  He told Eguz it 
would be helpful if the Greeks knew before they conducted 
their exercise what Turkish intentions were.  Eguz laughed 
and said "They will never know."  He did commit to staffing 
the request and remarked that he "did not see any reason why 
we can't repeat the past two years' practice."  On Sept. 16, 
the new TGS/J-5 for Greek and Cypriot Affairs RADM (LH) 
Mucahit Sislioglu told Pol-Mil Counselor that the issue would 
have to be referred to the J-3 and the rest of J-5, but that 
personally he believed canceling the exercise would be 
prudent so as not to complicate matters prior to the December 
elections in northern Cyprus. 
 
 
3. (C) On the new CSBMs announced by SYG Robertson (Ref D), 
Eguz said the GOT is always looking for new initiatives, big 
and small, on which the GOT and GOG can work together.  He 
agreed that the fact that these new CSBMs were in mil-mil 
channels was a particularly encouraging development, as the 
other channels were already working well.  Eguz added as 
evidence that he expected the negotiations on a double 
taxation treaty to be concluded soon.  Sislioglu noted that 
the CSBMs announced by Robertson were "slow but continuing." 
He added that there are many such papers, and one of his 
major goals is to accelerate implementation. 
 
 
4. (C) Comment: Neither Eguz nor Sislioglu were surprised to 
hear our points, and both were more open about speculating 
that Turkey would probably mirror Greece than Sislioglu's 
predecessor and Eguz were last year prior to the exercises. 
While last year, MFA and TGS seemed intent on keeping the 
Greeks guessing, this year both were relatively nonchalant 
about the issue.  We do not expect the Turks to upset the 
current balance by changing the policy of mirroring the 
Greeks, but neither do we expect they will take the high road 
of announcing their cancellation before they witness what the 
Greeks do during their exercise. 
EDELMAN