WTO ACCESSION FOR ARMENIA: DEMARCHE TO TURKEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 008453 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2012 TAGS: ETRD AJ TK AM SUBJECT: WTO ACCESSION FOR ARMENIA: DEMARCHE TO TURKEY REF: STATE 236110 Classified by Economic Counselor Scot Marciel. Reasons: 1.5(b,d). ¶1. (C) EconCouns delivered reftel demarche to MFA Department Head Oya Karakas Novmeber 20. Karakas said the MFA was awaiting word from Azerbaijan on the results of ongoing Azeri efforts to persuade the WTO Secretariat to accept "minor" changes to the Armenian letter. Karakas said she expected to hear the results of the Geneva discussions later today. She refused to predict whether the GOT would block adoption of Armenia's accession package November 21 in the absence of an agreement on the text. ¶2. (C) EconCouns reiterated USG view that a compromise solution that enabled the accession to move forward was in everyone's interest, and that a Turkish decision to block accession would carry political costs to Turkey. Karakas acknowledged the point, and again expressed hope that a solution would be found today. PEARSON