DISCUSSION WITH CONGRESS ON THE STAKES IN TURKEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01066A001100020008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 27, 2006
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: June 25, 1975
• Content Type: MF

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THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20505
25 JUN 1975
MEMORANDUM TO: Lieutenant General Brent. Scowcroft, USAF
Deputy Assistant to the President
(National Security Affairs)
SUBJECT : Discussion with Congress on the Stakes in Turkey
That is the possibility
that the Soviets mgt as or an receive permission to overfly
Turkey en route to the Middle East.
2. Heretofore, lacking Turkish overflight permission, the
introduction of Soviet military forces into the Middle East and even
resupply efforts have offered numerous logistic difficulties. If a
combination of alienation from the US, Soviet pressures on Turkey,
and a Turkish desire to cultivate the Arabs should change Turkish
policy in this respect, there could be serious consequences in the
event of another Middle East conflict.
3. If, for example, Turkey were to permit the USSR to ferry
combat aircraft directly from bases in the Caucasus area to Syria,
the Soviets could. bring their 300-plane 34th Tactical Air Army to
bear in Syria in a matter of hours. Under present circumstances,
without overflight privileges, they would have to disassemble aircraft
and transport them some 1500 miles through Yugoslavia and. across the
eastern Mediterranean -- a movement requiring several weeks.
4. There are, of course, strong disincentives to such a forward
course on the part of both the Soviets and the Turks, but if US-Turkish
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relations disintegrated far enough, the contingency could become
a real one. I am pointing this out in my discussion" this afternoon
with selected House members.
7s f. Bali.
W. E. Colby
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