US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3843

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003843 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PM/RSAT - TODD HUGHES, EUR/SE, SA/PB, SA/RA - BOB 
WILKINSON/FRED MILLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2015 
TAGS: MASS, TU, PK 
SUBJECT: APPROACHING TURKEY ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF F-16 
AIRCRAFT 
 
REF: STATE 117933 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (B) a 
nd (D). 
 
1. (C) Charge raised the issue of Turkey transferring F-16 
aircraft to Pakistan (reftel) with Minister of Defense Vecdi 
Gonul during their initial meeting on June 30.  Gonul thought 
the prospect was a good opportunity, noting the need to be 
supportive of Pakistan in general. 
 
2. (C) PolMilCouns and PolMilOff followed up with MFA Acting 
Deputy Director General for South Asia Murat Ulku later June 
30, and with TGS acting J5 MG Cengiz Arslan on July 1.  They 
added that some modification of Turkish F-16s might be 
necessary if the Turkish models were more advanced than the 
technology releasable to the Pakistanis.  Neither had yet 
received the report of the Charge's meeting with the 
minister.  Ulku asked who would pay for modifications if they 
were necessary.  PolMilCouns suggested that the cost would 
need to be factored into whatever arrangements were made with 
Pakistan.  Ulku undertook to inform his superiors immediately 
of our points.  Arslan noted that Turkey does not often sell 
equipment and he would need to determine who in TGS and 
Turkish Air Force Command would need to work this issue. 
Both were interested in the numbers of aircraft involved. 
PolMilCouns opined that the numbers would be small. 
MCELDOWNEY