Cablegate: Turkey On Proposed Global Maritime Partnership

VZCZCXRO0254
PP RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #1108 1681156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161156Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6577
INFO RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 3013
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4349
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS ANKARA 001108

SIPDIS

EEB/TRA/OTP FOR DORIS HAYWOOD
PM/ISO FOR JEFF FREDERICK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT EAID ECIN TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY ON PROPOSED GLOBAL MARITIME PARTNERSHIP

REF: STATE 50488

1. We delivered reftel demarche to Turkish MFA Maritime
Department Head Mehmet Poroy. Poroy told us that Turkey
agrees with the principles of the Global Maritime Partnership
(GMP) in general; however, he had a number of questions about
how the GMP will work operationally that were not answered in
the demarche. Poroy told us that Turkey is already
cooperating on maritime safety and security exercises under
the auspices of NATO, with neighboring countries in the Black
Sea, and hopes to begin such cooperation with the EU in the
Mediterranean. As an International Maritime Organization
Council member they also contribute regularly to that body's
collaboration.

2. Poroy,s main concern about GMP is the lack of an
administrative body or organizational structure under which
partners can meet to decide where and when to cooperate. He
also stressed that cooperation would need to include a real
exchange of information. Poroy added that Turkey would be
interested in learning more about the GMP as the concept
develops.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON

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