LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 01 ANKARA 00708 272054Z
64
ACTION EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03
NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 USIA-06
ACDA-05 AID-05 IO-11 SAM-01 SAJ-01 /082 W
--------------------- 053297
R 271542Z JAN 76
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2178
INFO AMEMBASSY ATHENS
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
AMCONSUL ADANA
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
AMCONSUL IZMIR
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE ANKARA 0708
E.O.11652: N/A
TAGS: PINT, TU
SUBJECT: ANOTHER MILITARY "MEMORANDUM"?
1. THE JANUARY 26 ISSUE OF YANKI MAGAZINE REPORTED THAT A
"MEMORANDUM" WAS PRESENTED TO PRIMIN DEMIREL IN DECMEBER,
1975 "WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CHIEF OF THE TURKISH GENERAL
STAFF AND THE FORCE COMMANDERS." ACCORDING TO THE YANKI
ARTICLE, WHICH WAS ALSO REPORTED IN SEVERAL MAJOR NEWSPAPERS,
THE MILITARY LEADERS DID NOT RPT NOT REQUEST THE GOVERNMENT'S
RESIGNATION, NOR DID THEY ATTEMPT TO DICTATE REQUIREMENTS FOR
GOVERNMENT ACTION, THE "MEMORANDUM" SIMPLY EXPRESSED A
"SUMMARY OF OPINIONS" ON THE FOLLOWING ISSUES:
(A) CONCERN OVER THE SPARE PARTS SITUATION AND
THE INABILITY TO ACQUIRE NEW WEAPONS,
(B) THE NECESSITY FOR RESOLVING THE CYPRUS ISSUE
QUICKLY, INCLUDING TERRITORIAL "CONCESSIONS",
(C) THE NEED TO END "ANARCHIC EVENTS",
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
PAGE 02 ANKARA 00708 272054Z
(D) A RECOMMENDATION FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN THE
JUSTICE PARTY (JP) AND REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S PARTY (RPP) AS A
"LAST RESORT" TO RESOLVE THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEMS,
(E) IF COOPERATION FAILED, THEN EARLY ELECTIONS
WOULD BE THE ONLY SOLUTION.
2. ON JANUARY 26, PRIMIN DEMIREL RELEASED A WRITTEN STATEMENT
LABELLING THE REPORT A "FABRICATION" AND DEFENDING HIS
GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL DEFENSE AND CYPRUS POLICIES. HE
CHARGED THAT EFFORTS WERE BEING MADE "TO BRING THE TURKISH
ARMED FORCES INTO POLITICAL ARGUMENTS BY DRAWING A PARALLEL
WITH EVENTS IN THE RECENT PAST" (I.E. THE MARCH 12
MEMORANDUM). DEMIREL ARGUED THAT IT WAS THE "LEGAL AND
CONSITUTIONAL DUTY OF THE GENERAL STAFF AND THE MINISTRY
OF DEFENSE TO VOICE THEIR IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE." LATER THE SAME DAY, DEMIREL PAID
A RARE CALL ON GEN. SANCAR AT TGS HEADQUARTERS WHERE HE WAS
ACCORDED MILITARY HONORS ON ARRRIVAL AND DEPARTURE.
3. SIMILARLY, THE JANUARY 26 MILLIYET REPORTED THAT AN
UNIDENTIFIED FORCE COMMANDER TOLD THEIR REPORTER THAT
THERE WAS NO "MEMORANDUM" PRESENTED UNDER A COLLECTIVE
SIGNATURE. HE STATED THAT EACH FORCE COMMANDER HAD
NOTIFIED THE TGS ABOUT THE NEEDS OF HIS SERVICE AND THE
CHIEF OF THE TGS, GEN. SANCAR, HAD RELAYED THESE VIEWS TO
THE PRIMIN. ALTHOUGH DENYING THAT DOMESTIC ISSUES HAD
BEEN MENTIONED, THE SOURCE CONFIRMED THAT THE CYPRUS PROBLEM
HAD BEEN DISCUSSED.
4. COMMENT: THE EMBASSY HAS RECEIVED NO INFORMATION WHICH
WOULD CONFIRM OR DENY THE EXISTENCE OF A "MEMORANDUM". IT
DOES SEEM REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT SANCAR WOULD HAVE DISCUSSED
TGS CONCERNS WITH DEMREL, POSSIBLY INCLUDING DOMESTIC
ISSUES. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKELY THAT THE
TURKISH MILITARY WOULD TAKE THE UNNECESSARY POLITICAL RISK
OF COMMITTING TO WRITING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUCH THINGS
AS JP-RPP COOPERATION OR EARLY ELECTIONS.
MACOMBER
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
NNN