US embassy cable - 05ANKARA5248

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005248 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2015 
TAGS: MARR, PGOV, PREL, PARM, PINR, TU 
SUBJECT: NEW TGS J-5 STRATEGY DIVISION CHIEF READY TO ENGAGE 
 
REF: ANKARA 4862 
 
Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts, reasons 1 
.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see para. 7. 
 
2. (C) SUMMARY: During a Sept. 8 introductory call by 
PolMilCouns and Deputy PolMilCouns, new TGS J-5 Strategy 
Division Chief MG Savas confirmed TGS interest in holding 
Caucasus Working Group and HLDG meetings this fall.  Savas 
listed his priorities for the Strategy Division as NATO 
cooperation, Force Planning and strengthening mil-mil 
relations with Turkey's neighbors and strategic partners. 
TGS is continuing its discussions with the French MOD the 
operational modalities of a proposed joint Turkey/France 
command of the ISAF Central Region.  Savas noted TGS dismay 
that a misunderstood line about Turkish-Iranian relations 
contained in a briefing provided to an ATC-sponsored STAFFDEL 
had found its way into the Turkish press the next day. 
During the same meeting, MG Erinmezler, TGS J-5 Security 
Division Chief, outlined Turkey's preparation for its 2006 
PSI exercise and noted that the US had not confirmed its 
participation.  PolMilCouns expressed USG appreciation for 
Turkey's efforts to develop a comprehensive PSI exercise, and 
confirmed that the US would participate.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (C) Major General (MG) Serdar Savas was promoted during 
the August 2005 Supreme Military Council and reassigned from 
the Turkish Land Forces Command, where he served as Policy 
Planning Chief (reftel). He does not appear to share the easy 
confidence and excellent English-language skills of his 
predecessor MG Cengiz Arslan, but seems comfortable in the 
headquarters environment and well-briefed on his portfolio. 
Savas previously worked in TGS several times, including as a 
Project Officer in the J-5 Strategy Division.  He is familiar 
with the US, having spent a year at the US Army War College 
and as a participant in a subsequent NATO officers tour of 
the US.  Also participating in this meeting was BG Tuncer 
Erinmezler, who succeeded Brigadier General Haldun Solmazturk 
as TGS J-5 Disarmament and Security Affairs Division Chief; 
he arrived from the 3rd Army Command in Erzincan, where he 
served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. 
 
4. (C) Savas characterized his policy priorities as NATO 
participation, military force planning in accord with NATO 
recommendations and the changing security environment, and 
development of Turkey's relations with its neighbors and 
strategic partners.  In response to PolMilCouns comments on 
US concerns with several of Turkey's neighbors, particularly 
Iran's nuclear program, Savas said TGS was surprised to read 
in the press on Aug. 24, points on Iran it presented at an 
Aug. 23 briefing to an American-Turkish Council 
(ATC)-sponsored STAFFDEL.  He defended the briefing point, 
which stated that TGS is "cautiously optimistic" about the 
positive trend in Turkey's relations with Iran.  According to 
Savas, Turkey is not trying to improve its relations with 
Iran.  Rather, Iran is working to improve its relations with 
Turkey.  PolMilCouns underscored that no Embassy official 
commented publicly on the TGS briefing, and reminded Savas 
that the briefing was unclassified and the STAFFDEL had 
included private sector representatives from the ATC and 
defense industries.  He suggested that both sides might 
remind the ATC that such briefings, while unclassified, are 
sensitive and should not be shared. 
 
5. (C)  Agreeing with PolMilCouns on the importance of 
holding a High Level Defense Group (HLDG) in 2005, Savas 
added that a Caucasus Working Group (CWG) meeting should be 
scheduled before then to allow the CWG meeting results to be 
incorporated into HLDG discussions.  According to Savas, 
DCHOD Kosaner's schedule was fairly full for November. 
However, given US scheduling constraints for December, TGS 
will review the DCHOD's schedule for the Nov. 1-11 time frame 
suggested by OSD.  (Note: The October 19-20 time frame also 
suggested by OSD falls during Ramazan.  End Note.) 
 
6. (C) TGS J-3 is engaged with the French military at the 06 
level to discuss the modalities of a possible shared command 
of ISAF Central Region Command in Kabul during the second 
half of 2006, said Savas.  Discussion topics include a 
possible rotation between Turkish and French Commanders and 
Deputy Commanders.  Savas expects the operational modalities 
to be discussed at the general officer level during the 
November NATO Military Committee meeting in Paris, and 
finalized by the December holidays. 
 
7. (C) Erinmezler, whose office handles TGS participation in 
the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) asked whether the 
US planned to participate in the air, land and sea exercise 
Turkey would host in 2006.  Turkey had not received an 
official US response.  Turkey intends to incorporate lessons 
learned from recent exercises and add new elements to address 
training requirements identified by Turkey and other 
countries.  According to Erinmezler, the general scenario has 
been defined and the details are being worked.  Turkey will 
brief the scenario at the November regional experts meeting 
in Hamburg.  PolMilCouns emphasized US enthusiasm for the 
comprehensive exercise Turkey was planning, which will add a 
greater level of complexity to previous exercises, and noted 
US appreciation for Turkey's organization and advance 
planning for this exercise.  He believed that the US will 
participate in the 2006 exercise and promised to work for a 
formal response with some specificity on the parameters of US 
participation.  Action Request: Post requests Washington 
provide us with a formal response to Turkey regarding US 
participation plans for the 2006 PSI exercise.  End Action 
Request. 
MCELDOWNEY