US embassy cable - 05ATHENS315

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 000315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/SE, EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, GR, TU, TURKEY 
SUBJECT: MFA SECRETARY GENERAL: "QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE" TO 
RECENT ALLEGED AIRSPACE INCURSIONS BY TURKEY 
 
REF: ATHENS 292 
 
Classified By: AMB. CHARLES P. RIES FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  MFA Secretary General Gennimatas 
complained to Ambassador and visiting EUR DAS Kennedy during 
a January 28 meeting about reported airspace incursions by 
Turkey, claiming formations of Turkish fighters had flown 
within two nautical miles of the Greek islet of Antipsara -- 
a "qualitative difference" for such incidents.  He also 
faulted the Turks for initiating mock dogfights with Greek 
pilots.  While the GoG was disturbed by what it argued was 
increased Turkish incidents in recent weeks, Gennimatas said 
this development would not change the GoG's support for 
Turkey's EU prospects.  Reftel reports discussion of Cyprus 
issue.  END SUMMARY. 
 
"Qualitative Difference" to Recent, Alleged Turkish Incursions 
 
2.  (C)  At a January 28 meeting with Ambassador and visiting 
EUR DAS Kennedy, MFA Secretary General Gennimatas complained 
about what he said was a "qualitative difference" in reported 
Turkish incursions into Greek airspace.  Specifically, he 
claimed that on January 26 seven formations of Turkish 
fighters, traveling at 15,000 feet, had passed within two 
nautical miles of the Greek islet of Antipsara (near the 
island of Chios).  Gennimatas said this particular incident 
represented a new and "very bad" development.  To make 
matters worse, he added, this incident happened during the 
first-ever visit of the Greek CNO to Ankara. 
 
3.  (C)  Gennimatas went on to describe the longstanding 
Greek-Turkish dispute over the Athens Flight Information 
Region (FIR).  He explained that Turkish pilots do not file 
flight plans, nor do they provide information about entry and 
exit points -- "they just give us flight times."  (NOTE: 
Gennimatas said that recently the Turks had asked whether the 
U.S. files Athens FIR flight plans. END NOTE.) 
 
4.  (C)  Gennimatas further complained that the Turks use 
airspace incursions to initiate mock dogfights with Greek 
pilots.  DAS Kennedy noted the potential for miscalculation 
and argued for the two sides to develop some CBMs to reduce 
this threat.  Asked what could be done to reduce the tension 
in the Aegean, Gennimatas answered that he talks with his 
Turkish counterpart "almost every day," at times requesting 
that a Turkish vessel change course if it appears to be 
approaching too close to a disputed islet.  These 
conversations "usually work," he admitted, but occasionally 
the Turkish MFA doesn't know or cannot affect Turkish 
military movements of concern.  Gennimatas acknowledged that 
the relationship was very different before 1999, when 
essentially there was no contact between the two countries' 
foreign ministries.  Gennimatas said it was troubling to the 
GoG that the Turks appeared to be increasing their incursions 
in recent weeks, but that this development would not change 
the GoG's strategic policy of supporting Turkey's EU 
prospects. 
 
5.  (C)  COMMENT:  Reports of alleged Turkish airspace 
incursions and FIR violations in the Aegean occur almost 
daily in Greece's media, as do Greek MFA complaints about 
such activity.  While there is no doubt that increased 
contact between the Greek and Turkish MFAs is a good thing, 
it has yet to produce a way out of this long-running dispute. 
 There has been no apparent progress in Greek-Turkish Aegean 
talks since New Democracy took power in March 2004, even as 
reports of incursions and violations go up in the 
post-Olympic period.  END COMMENT.