OYMEN DENIES THAT CHP IS DISCOURAGING COOPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 009132 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/26/2012 TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ SUBJECT: OYMEN DENIES THAT CHP IS DISCOURAGING COOPERATION ON IRAQ (U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson, reason 1.5, b/d. ¶1. (C) Former Turkish NATO Permrep and current MP from the opposition CHP Onur Oymen told Ambassador 12/26 that reports of CHP leader Deniz Baykal having proposed to PM Gul that one option for Turkey was to "do nothing" with US on Iraq were untrue. Oymen said that the CHP is the opposition party and was obliged to play the role of the opposition party. According to Oymen, Baykal had pressed Gul on why the GOT had not made a decision about cooperating with the US on Iraq. Certainly CHP, as the opposition party, could not say where it stood on an issue if the GOT was not willing/ready to take a position. After checking with Baykal, Oymen reiterated that CHP was not seeking to delay a GOT response. ¶2. (C) Meanwhile, Oymen said the CHP had been emphasizing three points: (a) Turkey must work for peace if possible, inter alia because in eighty years of independence, TU had not invaded a neighbor, (b) any operation against Iraq must have international legitimacy, and (c) Turkey had to be prepared to deal with the threat of an Iraqi second strike, including missile defense and NATO Article 5 issues. ¶3. (C) Oymen acknowledged that DepSecDef Wolfowitz had told the NAC that an attack on Turkey by Iraq would invoke Article 5, but NATO had not made such a decision or statement. Oymen closed by saying the US had many friends within the CHP who understand well the issues in the bilateral relationship and are interested in staying in close contact. ¶4. (C) Comment: Whatever the CHP leadership might tell us privately, the party is allowing public reports that Baykal suggested to PM that Turkey should not participate in any US-led operation in Iraq to stand unchallenged and creating a perception that they stand with the majority of Turkish public opinion and against US Iraq policy. PEARSON