TURKEY TO PUT SYRIA AND IRAN ON NOTICE ABOUT ABUSE OF PASSENGER AIRCRAFT FOR WEAPONS TRANSFER

SECRET S E C R E T ANKARA 004489 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2031 TAGS: ETTC, MARR, PARM, PREL, TU, IR SUBJECT: TURKEY TO PUT SYRIA AND IRAN ON NOTICE ABOUT ABUSE OF PASSENGER AIRCRAFT FOR WEAPONS TRANSFER REF: A. STATE 128425 B. AMMAN 5829 C. RIYADH 6149 D. ANKARA 4407 E. STATE 124945 Classified By: Charge Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (S) In the absence of MFA Undersecretary Tuygan, Charge delivered ref a demarche on August 5 to Acting Director General for Middle East Affairs Torunlar. Charge stressed the importance of Turkey taking a positive action and underscored that Turkey's decision to comply would save lives. Torunlar concurred with the implications of inaction and pledged to immediately convey our request to U/S Tuygan. To issue a blanket overflight denial or to request all Syrian and Iranian passenger aircraft to land and be search for any length of time, Tuygan emphasized that more specific information would be necessary. However, in the absence of specifics, Torunlar stated that the GOT could take immediate action to put both the Syrian and Iranian governments on notice that their flights are being watched. Specifically, Torunlar suggested, the GOT would either deny or request the landing and search of any Syrian and Iranian passenger aircraft that request overflight from August 5 through August 7. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ MCELDOWNEY