US embassy cable - 05ANKARA499

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000499 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2015 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TURKS SEEK PROCEDURE FOR EMERGENCY HELO FLIGHTS 
INTO NORTHERN IRAQ 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (S) Summary: TGS has requested permission to fly Turkish 
military helicopters into northern Iraq in case of an 
emergency and also for rotating personnel in and out of the 
area.  We understand such permission would require the 
overall permission of the IIG, though MNF-I would implement 
the necessary procedures.  We have advised TGS to approach 
the Iraqis.  End summary. 
 
2. (S) On Jan. 6, TGS/J3 LTG Yalcin requested via a letter to 
ODC-Turkey permission for Turkish military helicopters to fly 
into northern Iraq on an urgent basis to evacuate Turkish 
personnel in case of emergency.  Yalcin also asked that 
Turkey be permitted to use the helos for personnel rotations. 
 TGS requested that Turkey and the U.S. establish a mechanism 
whereby the U.S. LNO with Turkish Special Forces in Silopi 
(the border town in Turkey where the helicopters are based) 
would expedite MNF-I clearance for such flights on an 
as-needed basis.  We believe the basis for this request was 
the Dec. 17 murder by AIF of five Turkish police officers who 
were driving through Mosul on their way to Baghdad to provide 
security for the Turkish embassy there.  In addition, Turkey 
has Special Forces units in northern Iraq (ostensibly keeping 
an eye on PKK/Konra-Gel activity) as well as LNOs with MNF-I 
in Talafar, Kirkuk, Mosul, and Baghdad. 
 
3. (S) MNF-I in Baghdad has advised ODC-Turkey that MNF-I 
does not have the authority to approve flights into Iraqi 
airspace; this rests with the IIG.  Should the IIG approve 
the Turkish request, MNF-I would then develop the necessary 
procedures to implement it.  ODC-Turkey Chief MG Sutton 
passed this information to LTG Yalcin in a letter dated Jan. 
26.  Text of Yalcin's and MG Sutton's letters in paras. 5 and 
6. 
 
4. (S) LTG Yalcin and TGS/J3 MG Unal raised this request with 
the DCM and PolMilCouns January 26.  Since Yalcin had not yet 
seen MG Sutton's response, PolMilCouns explained it would 
require Turkey gaining the IIG's approval before engaging us 
on the modalities.  Yalcin initially misunderstood, arguing 
that getting approval from the IIG for each flight would take 
more time than available in emergency situations.  He 
envisaged a system where the U.S. LNO to the Turkish special 
forces headquarters in Silopi would receive some short notice 
(e.g., 10 minutes) advance notice of an emergency flight.  He 
would then coordinate with the appropriate U.S. authorities 
in northern Iraq to facilitate the flight.  This mechanism 
would only be used in extremis, when personnel needed to be 
extracted due to extreme security situation or medical 
emergency.  Since it was the U.S., not the IIG, that had the 
capability to implement such an agreement, he thought trying 
to reach an agreement with the Iraqis would be a waste of 
time.  The DCM explained that what our military was 
suggesting in its reply was not a potentially time consuming 
flight-by-flight approval by the IIG, but as the sovereign 
entity, the IIG must agree to the concept, MNF-I and TGS 
could then agree on the modalities and implement them when 
needed. 
 
5. (S) BEGIN TEXT OF TGS LETTER TO ODC-TURKEY (NOTE, INTERNAL 
PARAGRAPH NUMBERING): 
 
HRK.:    1700-12-03/Pl.Hrk.D.MMHS.(Dz.)15/3134591 
6 Jan 2005 
 
SUBJECT:  Request for Helicopter Flight 
 
OFFICE OF DEFENSE COOPERATION TURKEY 
 
1.    As known, various Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) elements 
are conducting mission within the US Headquarters in Tel 
Afer, Kirkuk, and Mosul and in some regions in the North of 
Iraq.  Additionally, there are many Turkish citizens in Iraq 
within the relation of commerce and economy. 
 
2. Due to the below stated security reasons Turkish 
helicopters are required to use Iraq airspace: 
 
a.  Provide transportation (personnel exchange) and 
logistical support for the TAF elements stationed in the 
north of Iraq. 
 
b. Provide support during emergencies (Incident on 17 Dec 
2004; a Turkish Police Team attacked in Mosul). 
 
3. If the subject helicopter is needed to be used, the US 
authorities will be notified by the US liaison officer in 
Silopi and Turkish Liaison Officers in Baghdad ASAP. 
Additionally, TGS will notify the Office of Defense 
Cooperation Turkey on time. 
 
4. If our request is approved in principal (sic), it will be 
beneficial for the Turkish and US experts conduct a study in 
order to define the details of the subject implementation. 
 
5. Your action to inform us on your opinion ASAP is 
appreciated. 
 
FOR THE CHIEF TGS 
Metin Yavuz YALCIN 
LTG 
Chief Operations 
 
END TEXT 
 
6. (S) BEGIN TEXT OF ODC-TURKEY RESPONSE (NOTE, INTERNAL 
PARAGRAPH NUMBERING): 
 
January 26, 2005 
 
TCH 
 
SUBJECT:  (U) Request for Helicopter Flight 
 
Lieutenant General Metin Yavuz Yalcin 
Chief, Operations 
Turkish General Staff 
Ankara 
 
Dear General Yalcin: 
 
Reference: TGS/J-3, HRK.: 
1700-13-05/Pl.Hrk.D.MMHS.(DZ.)16/3134592, 06 January 2005 
 
1.  (S-REL TU)  I received the referenced letter requesting 
permission to use Turkish Helicopters in Iraqi airspace under 
emergency conditions.  Your request was forwarded to Multi 
National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) and is being staffed.   MNF-I 
informs us that they do not have the authority to grant 
permission for the use of Iraqi airspace and they therefore 
recommend that the Government of Turkey submit this request 
to the Government of Iraq via formal channels. 
 
2.  (S-REL TU) We request that you inform the Office of 
Defense Cooperation, Turkey once an agreement is reached 
between the Turkish and Iraqi governments.  In the interim, 
MNF-I will develop the necessary procedures required to 
process Turkish military non-combat helicopter requests. 
 
3.  (U)  If there are questions, please contact my Chief, 
Operations Division, Lieutenant Colonel Allan Elza at PTT 
417-1801. 
 
Very Respectfully, 
Peter U. Sutton 
Major General, U.S. Air Force 
Chief 
 
END TEXT 
 
7. (U) Baghdad and REOs minimize considered. 
DEUTSCH