US embassy cable - 05ANKARA5504

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Identifier:	05ANKARA5504
Wikileaks:	View 05ANKARA5504 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Ankara
Created:	2005-09-22 14:50:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	MASS PK TU
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE AND PM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2015 
TAGS: MASS, PK, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY FINE WITH F-16 REQUEST WITHDRAWAL 
 
REF: A. STATE 173015 
 
     B. ANKARA 4551 
     C. ANKARA 3843 
     D. STATE 117933 
 
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Timothy A. Betts, reasons 
 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
(C) Per reftel a request, Acting PolMilCouns and PolMilOff 
advised MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia Aydin 
Evirgen and South Asia Department Head Murat Ulku on Sept. 21 
of US appreciation for Turkey's willingness to consider a 
transfer of some of its F-16s to Pakistan but explained that 
such a transfer would not be necessary and provided a copy of 
Ref A points.  Ulku said Turkey was aware of the US plan to 
transfer two F-16s to Pakistan and understood the rationale 
behind our withdrawal of the request for Turkish F-16s.  He 
added that, when originally approached, the Turkish General 
Staff had raised concerns about the gaps such a transfer 
would create in Turkey's inventory, but saw this as an 
opportunity to upgrade some of its fleet if the US was 
willing to provide Turkey with newer F-16s in exchange.  Both 
Evirgen and Ulku understood that the US did not have surplus 
F-16s for transfer to Turkey and saw no problem with the 
request withdrawal. 
MCELDOWNEY