US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6217

S E C R E T ANKARA 006217 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/SE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, PINR, PGOV, BU, TU 
SUBJECT: INITIAL TURKISH RESPONSE ON APPOINTMENT OF 
ASPARUKHOV: NO OFFICIAL GOT POSITION YET 
 
 
REF: A) STATE 269610 B) STATE 273864 C) USNATO 994 D) 
     USNATO 968 
 
 
(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch. 
Reasons:  1.5 (B and D). 
 
 
 
 
1. (S) Deputy pol-mil counselor delivered ref a and b points 
to MFA NATO Department Head Atila Gunay October 2.  Gunay 
said he was aware of the issue, having received a recent 
cable from the Turkish mission at NATO.  Gunay explained he 
had held off on receiving deputy pol-mil counselor until now 
to try to obtain an official MFA position on the issue. 
However, he was unable to do so in time for today's meeting, 
in large part because the Ministry -- and the MFA's senior 
point man on Asparukhov, Deputy U/S Sensoy in particular -- 
has been focused on preparing for S/CT Black's visit to 
Ankara today (October 2) for discussions on the PKK/Kadek. 
Gunay offered to get back to the Embassy after he had an 
opportunity to discuss the matter with Deputy U/S Sensoy. 
 
 
2. (S) Speaking personally, Gunay told deputy pol-mil 
counselor that the USG position made "perfect sense" and 
added the GOB should be given a strong message that Bulgaria 
stands to be cut off from NATO classified information if it 
goes ahead with the appointment.  Looking ahead, Gunay said 
one area where the US and Turkey might differ is how to 
convey this message to the GOB.  Where the GOT likely can be 
expected to support "NATO initiatives" to caution Bulgaria, 
some within the GOT -- including the governing AK party -- 
might view bilateral approaches to the GOB as Turkey 
"meddling" in Bulgaria's internal affairs.  Deputy pol-mil 
counselor responded that the US and Turkey share the goal of 
making sure Bulgaria does everything it can to prepare itself 
for NATO membership -- not jeopardize it -- and urged the GOT 
to approach the GOB to reverse the appointment. 
 
 
3. (S) DCM discussed the issue later that same day with 
Sensoy and MFA DG for Intelligence Tezcan on the margins of 
CT meetings in Ankara (septel).  Tezcan briefed Sensoy on the 
issue and they agree that this nomination represented a 
problem for Bulgaria and that Turkey should take appropriate 
action per Lord Robertson's request. 
EDELMAN