US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1378

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001378 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, TU 
SUBJECT: CAUCASUS WORKING GROUP HONES IN ON TU-US 
COOPERATION 
 
 
(U) Classified by Pol-Mil Counselor Tim Betts, reasons 1.4, 
b/d. 
 
 
1. (U) The Turkish General Staff (TGS) hosted a working level 
meeting of the Caucasus Working Group (CWG) February 16-17 in 
Ankara.  The US side was led by ECJ5-E (RUE) Caucasus AO, LTC 
Albert Zaccor, who was accompanied by ECJ5-E Turkey AO, Lt 
Col Rob Hopkins. Representatives of the Embassy's Pol-Mil 
section, DAO and ODC also attended.  The Turkish side was led 
by CPT (N) Ogurlu of TGS/J-5, with COL Ziya Dogan, COL 
Ozoglu, CPT (N) Kiratli also in attendance.  In addition the 
Turkish DATTs from Georgia and Azerbaijan attended and 
actively participated in the CWG, providing on-the-ground 
guidance on many technical issues. 
 
 
2. (U) The participants sought to identify specific areas of 
cooperation in Georgia and Azerbaijan to ensure 
complementarity of US and Turkish security assistance to the 
region.  TGS was forthcoming, cordial and willing to develop 
recommendations with the US delegation to coordinate theater 
security cooperation strategies in the region. TGS Deputy 
J-5, Maj Gen Arslan met with the US delegation to emphasize 
his continued commitment to CWG. 
 
 
3. (U) The CWG sessions consisted of Turkish and US briefings 
on major programs/processes and each side made requests for 
assistance.  Discussions achieved consensus on broad areas 
for cooperation and the development of a process to 
systematically cooperate at the TGS-EUCOM and country team 
levels.  In addition, Caspian Guard, Caucasus Clearinghouse 
and the CWG process schedule were discussed at length and 
recommendations were developed. 
 
 
4. (C) The CWG Working group reached the following 
conclusions: 
 
 
Georgia: 
--US welcomed Turkish training of SF Bde; 
--US recognized Turkish lead in Gendarmerie 
training-development; 
--US will explore providing language training materials to 
the Georgian Joint Military Academy; 
--US-Turkey will coordinate Border Guard training; 
--US & Turkey will jointly explore plan for Centralized 
Training Center; 
--Turkey and US will approach the new Georgian defense 
leadership on force structure plans; 
--Turkey will reexamine plans for training a tank battalion. 
 
 
Azerbaijan: 
--US recognized Turkish lead in Gendarmerie 
training-development; 
--US will focus on English Language Training; 
--US & Turkey agreed to focus any future airbase 
modernization on Nasosnaya Airbase; 
--US welcomed Turkish training of Azeri Army SOF. 
 
 
CWG Process: 
--Reinvigorate Joint Security Cooperation Group (JSCG) 
Process; 
--US agreed to identify members of Tbilisi and Baku US DAOs 
to participate in future CWG meetings; 
--US and TU agreed to include non-MOD/DOD officials in 
discussions. 
 
 
Framework for Future CWG Trips and Meetings: 
--March 29 joint J5 meeting in Turkey; 
--April 12-16 in Azerbaijan (US/TU/AZ); 
--April 19-23 in Georgia (US/TU/GA); 
--Next full CWG: October 04 in Turkey. 
 
 
Caucasus Clearing House: 
--Turkey agreed to participate in next Caucasus Clearing 
House meeting at the Marshall Center, April or May and were 
willing to explore hosting meeting in Fall 04; 
--Turkey will lead coordination in Georgia; 
--US will lead coordination in Azerbaijan. 
 
 
Caspian Guard: 
--Turkey agreed to participate in maritime talks with US & 
Azerbaijan (and potentially Kazakhstan); 
--US and Turkey will consult on C2 projects and explore 
adaptation of Turkish AF C2 concept for Azerbaijan; 
--US and Turkey will plan joint maritime SOF training and 
exercises. 
 
 
5. (C) Comment: The CWG working group continued the momentum 
established by the CWG meeting held in November 03 at 
Williamsburg, VA. The working group provided an opportunity 
to achieve consensus on priority areas and develop solid 
recommendations for senior CWG members.  After senior-level 
approval of the above conclusions is obtained and guidance is 
provided, delegations from TU and US will travel to Georgia 
and Azerbaijan to develop more concrete solutions for 
security cooperation. 
EDELMAN