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