US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2475

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002475 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR S, D, P, EUR/SE, EUR/RPM, SA, PM 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, TU, AF 
SUBJECT: TURKISH HELOS TO AFGHANISTAN:  DECISION IS WITH 
THE PM 
 
 
REF: ANKARA 2293 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric S. Edelman.  Reasons:  1.5 
(B and D). 
 
 
1. (C) MFA NATO Department Head Alper Coksun told deputy 
pol-mil counselor May 3 that Turkey and Luxembourg had worked 
out an acceptable arrangement for Luxembourg to finance the 
deployment of the three Turkish helos to/from Afghanistan in 
support of ISAF operations.  Funding for spare parts and 
maintenance is the only outstanding issue.  Coksun confirmed 
that TGS has asked the PM to provide $1.5M for space 
parts/maintenance (reftel), and said the decision was 
currently with PM. 
 
 
2. (C) Following up the President's telephone call with PM 
Erdogan, Amb. telephoned MFA U/S Ziyal May 1.  Ziyal, after 
conferring with TGS D/CHOD GEN Basbug (who was in London), 
told the Amb. May 3 that there were two main issues 
associated with the helicopters: one, the Turkish military 
had lost a number of helos during the past year and did not 
have many left in its inventory; and two, funding. 
 
 
3. (C) DCM telephoned PM Foreign Policy Advisor Amb. Arat May 
3.  He told Arat we understood that TGS's request for funding 
for the spare parts and maintenance for the three helos was 
with the PM.  The DCM stressed it was important for TGS CHOD 
GEN Ozkok to announce during the NATO CHOD meeting May 5-6 in 
Brussels that Turkey was prepared to deploy the three helos 
to Afghanistan.  Arat confirmed that Turkey and Luxembourg 
had worked out financing arrangements for the 
deployment/re-deployment of the three helos.  He noted the 
GOT was focusing on resolving the outstanding issues related 
to the three helos before moving on to the President's 
request for the additional four.  DCM informed Arat that the 
USG recently had authorized $35M in FMF financing for FY04 
for Turkey, and explained that these funds were designed to 
increase Turkey's ability to contribute to operations such as 
ISAF.  He reiterated his earlier request that the GOT resolve 
the outstanding issues in time for Ozkok to make a positive 
statement in Brussels.  Arat said he understood and said he 
would talk to PM Erdogan directly about the helicopters. 
 
 
4. (C) Kabul minimize considered. 
EDELMAN