CIA chief hints at closer cooperation ‘in months’

[Quasar]

The United States’ top spy paid an unannounced two-day visit to Ankara to discuss deepening instability in Syria, the joint fight against terrorism and closer cooperation on pressing regional issues “in coming months.”

David Petraeus, the CIA chief, held meetings with top Turkish officials both yesterday and on March 12, the Hürriyet Daily News learned. Petraeus met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), the previous day.

An official from the U.S. Embassy said that Turkish and American officials discussed “more fruitful cooperation on the region’s most pressing issues in the coming months.” Turkish officials said Erdoğan and Petraeus exchanged views on the Syrian crisis and anti-terror fight.

The officials further discussed an intelligence-sharing mechanism launched in 2007.

Petraeus’ visit coincided with that of Kofi Annan, the United Nations and Arab League’s special envoy to Syria. Though both officials stayed in the same hotel in Ankara, there was no confirmation of a potential meeting between the two.

Annan, who is trying to push the Syrian leadership to end its measures against anti-government rebels, is the latest international figure to have met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.

POLITICS - CIA chief hints at closer cooperation

Anatolian Falcon 2012 builds strength, sharpens skills

The Turkish and U.S. air forces continue to successfully integrate their capabilities during Anatolian Falcon 2012 here March 6.

The first four missions of the two-week exercise are through, and the two NATO allies are learning to better communicate with each other and combine their strengths.

"I didn't really know what to expect," said 480th Fighter Squadron pilot Capt. John Mann, who had never flown with the Turkish air force until March 5. "The Turks are really good pilots, and everything synched up once we started flying."

Mission planners from both nations work extensively together to create the training scenarios and objectives, Mann said. The planners choose the complexity of the missions and design the mission objectives in a way to mitigate risks while testing capabilities.

"It's very structured," he said of the airspace rules of engagement. "Everything is well planned and executed as designed. We're definitely not trying to fit a square peg into a round hole."

Well-executed exercises -- like AF12 -- yield far-reaching benefits and further hone combat skills, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Michael Clapper, a 480th FS pilot.

"This training forces us to integrate with different aircraft from another country on unfamiliar terrain, which is what you would probably see in combat anyway," Clapper said. "As our strengths continue to grow, so should the scale and complexity of each scenario."

One of the benefits of the U.S. Air Force training with the Turkish air force is the ability to conduct large-force employments, Mann said. A large-force employment involves a higher and more realistic number of participating aircraft per mission.

For example, there are a finite number of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft at the 480th FS's homestation of Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. The pilots must use available resources when they conduct training. However, the U.S. pilots can test different skill sets when they combine the aircraft fleet with their Turkish counterparts.

"There are a lot of similarities in our tactics and the general idea of how we operate," Mann said. "But with large-force employments, we have to use different techniques, coordination efforts or other frequencies. You have to have discipline to communicate effectively -- there were 20 jets in the air yesterday."

Clapper said these large-scale missions allow the two countries to practice executing operations together successfully.

The bi-lateral training exercise continues until March 15 with nearly 400 sorties planned.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123292896

Iran, Azerbaijan restore trust after trilateral talks

Iran and Azerbaijan are taking steps to soothe the bilateral tensions recently stoked by Baku’s reported purchase of arms from Israel. The Azerbaijani defense minister visited Tehran after last week’s trilateral summit. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said March 12 after meeting with the Azerbaijani defense minister that his country is confident neighboring Azerbaijan would not allow attacking forces to pass through its territory, in the latest sign of easing relations between the two countries.

The foreign ministers of both countries were in Nakchivan last week for a trilateral meeting with Turkey. “We are sure that we will face no problems from our brother and neighbor Azerbaijan,” Ahmadinejad said, Agence France-Presse reported.

“Rest assured that ties between Tehran and Baku will never be harmed,” he said, adding that the “artificial problems” that exist would be resolved and ties would be strengthened. Abiyev said “No nation can damage the ties between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan.” He vowed that his country “will not allow anyone to use its ground or airspace against Iran, because we consider Iran a friend and brother.” These professions of closeness are intended to mend a rift opened up by Iranian news reports that Azerbaijan had bought $1.5 billion worth of weapons from Israel.

The rift was widened by a separate incident in Azerbaijan in which police said they had arrested an unspecified number of people linked to Iran and to the Hezbollah on suspicion of planning attacks in the country. Iran last month also accused Azerbaijan of working with Mossad and helping assassins who have murdered Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years.

In the trilateral meeting last week, the three sides vowed to avoid allowing their territories be used to threaten each other. A declaration adopted said the three countries are determined “not to allow their territories to be used, under any circumstances, for any threat or activity against each other which may lead to hostilities.”

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iran-azerbaijan-restore-trust-after-trilateral-talks.aspx?pageID=238&nID=15965&NewsCatID=359

Nabucco receives green light

Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yıldız has given the green light to the Nabucco Consortium to begin preparations to nationalize the parts of the Nabucco gas pipeline that are within Turkey’s borders, according to a statement released yesterday by Nabucco.

The Nabucco project aims to transport Caspian gas to Europe via Turkey.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/nabucco-receives-green-light.aspx?pageID=238&nID=15050&NewsCatID=348