[03ANKARA6217] INITIAL TURKISH RESPONSE ON APPOINTMENT OF ASPARUKHOV: NO OFFICIAL GOT POSITION YET

Published by Wikileaks & Bivol.bg

 date: 10/3/2003 7:16 refid: 03ANKARA6217 origin: Embassy Ankara classification: SECRET destination:  header: This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.  S E C R E T ANKARA 006217    SIPDIS      STATE FOR EUR/RPM, EUR/SE      E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2013  TAGS: PREL, MARR, PINR, PGOV, BU, TU  SUBJECT: INITIAL TURKISH RESPONSE ON APPOINTMENT OF  ASPARUKHOV: NO OFFICIAL GOT POSITION YET      REF: A) STATE 269610 B) STATE 273864 C) USNATO 994 D)       USNATO 968      (U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch.  Reasons:  1.5 (B and D).          1. (S) Deputy pol-mil counselor delivered ref a and b points  to MFA NATO Department Head Atila Gunay October 2.  Gunay  said he was aware of the issue, having received a recent  cable from the Turkish mission at NATO.  Gunay explained he  had held off on receiving deputy pol-mil counselor until now  to try to obtain an official MFA position on the issue.  However, he was unable to do so in time for today's meeting,  in large part because the Ministry -- and the MFA's senior  point man on Asparukhov, Deputy U/S Sensoy in particular --  has been focused on preparing for S/CT Black's visit to  Ankara today (October 2) for discussions on the PKK/Kadek.  Gunay offered to get back to the Embassy after he had an  opportunity to discuss the matter with Deputy U/S Sensoy.      2. (S) Speaking personally, Gunay told deputy pol-mil  counselor that the USG position made "perfect sense" and  added the GOB should be given a strong message that Bulgaria  stands to be cut off from NATO classified information if it  goes ahead with the appointment.  Looking ahead, Gunay said  one area where the US and Turkey might differ is how to  convey this message to the GOB.  Where the GOT likely can be  expected to support "NATO initiatives" to caution Bulgaria,  some within the GOT -- including the governing AK party --  might view bilateral approaches to the GOB as Turkey  "meddling" in Bulgaria's internal affairs.  Deputy pol-mil  counselor responded that the US and Turkey share the goal of  making sure Bulgaria does everything it can to prepare itself  for NATO membership -- not jeopardize it -- and urged the GOT  to approach the GOB to reverse the appointment.      3. (S) DCM discussed the issue later that same day with  Sensoy and MFA DG for Intelligence Tezcan on the margins of  CT meetings in Ankara (septel).  Tezcan briefed Sensoy on the  issue and they agree that this nomination represented a  problem for Bulgaria and that Turkey should take appropriate  action per Lord Robertson's request.  EDELMAN 

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