US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3466

S E C R E T ANKARA 003466 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE AND PM/RSAT 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2015 
TAGS: MASS, TU, TC 
SUBJECT: TURKEY NOTIFIED THAT UAE REQUEST FOR TURKISH 
TRAINING ON F-16 BLOCK 60 AIRCRAFT DENIED 
 
REF: A. STATE 110926 
     B. ANKARA 2909 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Eric S. Edelman, reasons 1.4 (a) (b) and (d). 
 
1. (S) Deputy PolMilCouns notified MFA Americas Affairs 
Deputy Office Director Meral Barlas on June 15 that the USG 
has denied the United Arab Emirates (UAE) request for pilots 
and technicians from Turkey to train pilots and technicians 
from the UAE on F-16 Block 60 aircraft and for technicians 
form Turkey to maintain the aircraft.  Deputy PolMilCouns 
explained that the USG would like the UAE to develop an 
indigenous training and maintenance capacity like other F-16 
countries, and that, towards that end, and together with 
Lockheed Martin, the USG was offering in-country training and 
training in the United States. 
 
2. (S) Comment: Despite MFA Undersecretary Tuygan's comments 
to the Ambassador (ref b) Barlas expressed surprise at the 
decision and said the MFA had not yet been notified by the 
UAE.  She noted some frustration at the decision, saying that 
the UAE must have requested this training for some valid 
reason, such as a lack of pilots or technicians, but claimed 
she did not know the motivation behind the request.  End 
Comment. 
EDELMAN