Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ANKARA8633
2002-11-26 14:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

CODEL HASTERT'S MEETINGS IN ANKARA

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINS ECON TU 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 008633 

SIPDIS


CENTCOM AND EUCOM: PLEASE PASS TO POLADS AND J-5


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS ECON TU
SUBJECT: CODEL HASTERT'S MEETINGS IN ANKARA


(U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson. Reason: 1.5
(b,d)


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 008633

SIPDIS


CENTCOM AND EUCOM: PLEASE PASS TO POLADS AND J-5


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS ECON TU
SUBJECT: CODEL HASTERT'S MEETINGS IN ANKARA


(U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson. Reason: 1.5
(b,d)



1. (C) Summary: A codel led by Speaker Hastert met Nov. 21
with P.M. Gul and Parliament President ("Speaker") Arinc.
Speaker Hastert congratulated Gul on AK's landslide election
victory and Turkey's recent progress on political and
economic reform. Gul echoed AK leader Erdogan's commitment
to EU-related political reform; pledged continued progess on
economic reform; emphasized the importance of the recent UN
resolution on Iraq; and stressed that the AK government will
work constructively on Cyprus. End summary.



2. (C) In separate meetings Nov. 21 with P.M. Gul and
Parliament Speaker Arinc, Speaker Hastert congratulated the
AK (Justice and Development) Party on its overwhelming
victory in the Nov. 3 national elections. Complementing
Turkey's efforts at improving its human rights record, and
its role as a model of stability in the region, Speaker
Hastert underscored the House of Representatives' commitment
as an advocate for Turkey's EU membership. Hastert further
underlined the importance of maintaining discipline on the
IMF-backed economic reform program and indicated that the
House is likely to take up QIZ legislation next year.



3. (C) Both Gul and Arinc thanked the Speaker's delegation
for the USG's efforts to promote Turkey's EU accession bid.
They acknowledged that with a single-party government, Turkey
will be a more politically stable yet dynamic strategic
partner. (Note: Arinc repeatedly referred to his
consitutional yet largely ceremonial capacity as Acting
President -- with President Sezer abroad at the Prague NATO
summit that day. He also held the meeting in Presidential
Palace, primarily to assert the prerogatives of the
popularly-elected Parliament over an Executive that
reportedly tried to interfere in his election as TGNA Speaker
-- septel. End note.)



4. (C) Claiming that future historians will look back on the
current period as "a turning point for Turkey," Gul laid out
the government's critical issues:


-- EU membership: The AK government will continue to push for
EU reforms, not so much to meet the Copenhagen criteria as to
"put its own house in order." (Arinc asserted that the new
government will be "aggressive" in its pursuit of EU
membership.) Individual freedoms -- in every field
including, Gul noted, religion -- should be "guaranteed." He
claimed many laws related to Turkey's EU aspirations will be
adopted in the run-up to December's crucial EU summit in
Copenhagen. Nevertheless, Gul averred that some EU members
did not seem as sincere as the U.S. in its efforts to promote
Turkey's candidacy.


-- Iraq: Gul explained that "just because Turkey is Muslim
doesn't mean we will support Saddam." The recent UN
resolution is very important, and Iraq should be scutinized
to the fullest. (Arinc later echoed this sentiment.) The new
government recognizes that Saddam has used weapons of mass
destruction in the past -- though Gul admitted he had not yet
been briefed by military or intelligence officials on Iraq.
He expects he will be better informed after this week's vote
of confidence in Parliament. Gul assured Speaker Hastert
that ONW will be renewed again in the coming weeks.


-- Cyprus: Turkey must work to change the perception that it
does not want to solve the problem. Gul said his
administration would work "in a positive way" to bring about
a solution. (Arinc lightly admonished the Hastert delegation
for the Senate's (sic) passing of a resolution endorsing
"Greek Cypriot" accession to the EU, and intimated that
further "biased" actions would be detrimental to finding a
peaceful solution.)


-- Economic reform: Gul underscored his government's
commitment to cooperation with the World Bank and IMF and to
fiscal discipline. Pointing out that AK will "never be
populist on economic reform," Gul nevertheless admitted that
Turkey "would need help" from the USG in continuing the
reform program.



5. (C) Comment: The Speaker's delegation presented a useful
opportunity for Washington leadership to engage the new AK
Party-led Turkish Government directly at the highest levels.
The Speaker reviewed a number of our essential issues and
evoked useful replies on the direction of the new leadership.
PEARSON