US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4095

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004095 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2015 
TAGS: MOPS, MARR, PREL, TU, AF, FR, NATO 
SUBJECT: ISAF: TURKEY AND FRANCE WORKING OUT SHARED COMMAND 
OF MNB-CENTER 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 3413 
     B. KOENIG-BETTS EMAIL 6/29/05 
 
Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett 
s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) On July 13, PolMilOff called on TGS J3 NATO Branch 
Chief COL Halit Yilmaz to discuss Turkey's plans to 
contribute to security in Afghanistan after its ISAF VII 
command ends next month (see ref a).  Yilmaz confirmed that 
the Turkish and French militaries are working on a formula 
for how to share command of the planned Multinational 
Brigade-Center (MNB-C), currently anticipated to commence 
with Phase III of ISAF in 2006 (ref b).  (NOTE: PolMilOff 
explained that Washington was still considering whether we 
prefer that MNB-C commence with Phase III or Phase IV; Yilmaz 
responded that he understood.  END NOTE.)  Yilmaz said the 
French had yet to take a final political decision on offering 
to command (or co-command) MNB-C; he understood Paris would 
do so July 20. 
 
2. (C) Yilmaz did not provide great detail on the nature of 
the planning thus far.  It was likely, he said, that the 
country command would rotate every six months or perhaps 
annually.  He believed neither the French nor the Turks would 
draw down significantly when not in command.  Afghanistan is 
far away, he said, and it would be too costly to draw down 
and ramp up frequently. 
MCELDOWNEY