Wikileaks - CCV
35323 6/24/2005 12:40 05BUCHAREST1432 Embassy Bucharest UNCLASSIFIED This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. UNCLAS BUCHAREST 001432
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE WSILKWORTH ALSO FOR INL/AAE, EUR/ACE, EUR/SCE, EUR/SE, INR/EUR INR/REA
E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC, PREL, ECON, EU, RO, MD, NATO SUBJECT: TURKISH ADMIRAL REAFFIRMS GO IT ALONE POLICY IN THE BLACK SEA
REF: BUCHAREST IIR 6 883 0153 05
1. (SBU) Summary. During a June 7-10 Black Sea Security Conference held in Chisinau, Moldova, the Turkish delegate repeated previous GOT comments that Turkey alone has the capacity to ensure security within the Black Sea region. Regarding future NATO activities in the region, he stated that with the assistance of Russia, Black Sea security has been and will continue to be ensured without further NATO involvement. Embassy Bucharest officer participated in the conference and cleared this message with Embassy Chisinau End Summary.
NATO Need Not Apply
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2. (SBU) Turkish Admiral Kadir Sagdic (Head, Strategy Department, Turkish Navy Headquarters) stated at Harvard,s Black Sea Security Conference in Chisinau, Moldova that Turkey was capable of ensuring Black Sea regional security without involving other NATO powers. Admiral Sagdic stated further that NATO,s &dictatorial policies regarding PFP and other programs were not contributing to security in the region.8 In a conversation with DOS Bucharest-based SECI Coordinator, he claimed that Turkey has the capacity to &go it alone8 in the Black Sea without further &outside interference.8 When asked to clarify what he meant by outside interference, he referred explicitly to current Romanian government Black Sea security initiatives and corresponding USG dialogue with the GOR on regional security. He also criticized recent NATO references to the important Black Sea security. Admiral Sagdic described any Operation Active Endeavor-like activity in the Black Sea as &unnecessary8 and &duplicative,8 given the centrality of Turkish-led Black Sea Harmony. He insisted, however, that Turkey would provide &reporting8 to NATO on all Black Sea issues (Ref A). Admiral Sagdic further stated that the Black Sea Economic Cooperative Organization (BSEC) presently has the capacity to meet regional challenges and characterized &expansion8 of BSEC as ¬ in the interest of Black Sea security.8
Back to the Future: Turkish-Russian Black Sea Cooperation
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3. (SBU/NF) Admiral Sagdic made it clear to the conference attendees and in private conversations that NATO involvement in the Black Sea was a hindrance for overall regional security. He further pointed out that both Turkey and Russia were &insiders8 when it came to Black Sea policy and security concerns, &as they have been for over one-hundred years.8 Although Major General Nicolai Bushuev, Russian Defense Attach to Moldova and the Russian delegate to the conference, did not engage in any public discussions during the conference, he privately observed that he &doesn,t disagree8 with the Turkish positions stated during the two day conference.
Oh, Those Talkative Romanians!
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4. (SBU/NF) Both during the conference and in private conversations, Sagdic claimed there is a perception in &NATO capitals8 that Turkey does not have the capacity of taking the lead on Black Sea security issues. He pointedly criticized those that believe that &other countries8 in the region could fill such a role. When asked &which other countries?8 he archly replied &those that speak the most about it.8 Most conference participants interpreted Sagdic,s remarks as a not-so-veiled reproach of Romanian efforts to develop a regional security strategy.
5. (SBU/NF) Comment. "The Turkish "go it alone" policy articulated by Admiral Sagdic gibes with recent Romanian reports that Turkey, in tandem with Russia, intends to dominate Black Sea security and "non-littoral states8 need not apply. At best, the Turks seem willing to share information with other NATO states. The Romanians, for their part, continue to call for a more engaged U.S., NATO and EU role in the region. End Comment.
6. (U) AmEmbassy Bucharest's Reporting telegrams, as well as daily press summaries, are available on the Bucharest SIPRNet website: www.state.sgov/gov/p/eur/bucharest DELARE
