Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA461
2003-01-17 13:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
IRAQ: TURKEY TO HOST IRAQ SUMMIT FOR SIX
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000461
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P, NEA CROCKER, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE;
OSD FOR LUTI AND HRHODE;
NSC FOR KHALILZAD;
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH;
DAMASCUS FOR WALKER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ PHUM PREF UNSC
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY TO HOST IRAQ SUMMIT FOR SIX
NEIGHBORING STATES JANUARY 23 IN ISTANBUL, HOPING TO
COMPLEMENT UN PROCESS
REF: A. ANKARA 302
B. ANKARA 201
(U) Classified by POL-MIL Counselor Stuart Brown. Reasons:
1.5 (B and D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000461
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P, NEA CROCKER, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE;
OSD FOR LUTI AND HRHODE;
NSC FOR KHALILZAD;
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH;
DAMASCUS FOR WALKER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ PHUM PREF UNSC
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY TO HOST IRAQ SUMMIT FOR SIX
NEIGHBORING STATES JANUARY 23 IN ISTANBUL, HOPING TO
COMPLEMENT UN PROCESS
REF: A. ANKARA 302
B. ANKARA 201
(U) Classified by POL-MIL Counselor Stuart Brown. Reasons:
1.5 (B and D).
1. (C) Pol-Mil Counselor spoke with MFA DDG/Mideast Safak
Gokturk 1/17 about Turkey's plans for a "peace" summit of
heads of state or government of Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt,
Saudi Arabia and Iran. Gokturk confirmed that FM Yakis had
called in ambassadors/charges from the five other countries
1/16 and proposed the summit for 1/23 in Istanbul. They are
awaiting responses.
2. (C) Regarding any declaration the summit would produce,
Gokturk says Turkey will push for a clear message to the
Iraqi leadership. Turkey also wants it to say that the six
are "no enemy of the Iraqi nation, only its leadership."
Turkey wants the declaration to refer to the need for further
UNSC discussion. Ankara wants the summit to be
"complementary to efforts of the Security Council." It
should not be diluted by any attempts to "balance" the
language with criticism of the US. This is not a "balancing
act," Gokturk said, a point Gokturk said Yakis had also made
to the Arab and Iranian Chiefs of Mission. That said,
Gokturk admitted that other participants would obviously try
to influence the declaration and that the final product would
inevitably be the "weakest common denominator" of the six
countries.
3. (C) Regarding the "game plan": Turkey realized the summit
was short notice, but Ankara sees the need to act swiftly
("we can't wait until March"). Turkish embassies in the five
capitals are double-tracking the invitations. Finally,
Gokturk promised to remain in constant consultation with the
Embassy on the summit. "We will keep you posted."
PEARSON
SIPDIS
STATE FOR P, NEA CROCKER, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE;
OSD FOR LUTI AND HRHODE;
NSC FOR KHALILZAD;
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH;
DAMASCUS FOR WALKER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ PHUM PREF UNSC
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY TO HOST IRAQ SUMMIT FOR SIX
NEIGHBORING STATES JANUARY 23 IN ISTANBUL, HOPING TO
COMPLEMENT UN PROCESS
REF: A. ANKARA 302
B. ANKARA 201
(U) Classified by POL-MIL Counselor Stuart Brown. Reasons:
1.5 (B and D).
1. (C) Pol-Mil Counselor spoke with MFA DDG/Mideast Safak
Gokturk 1/17 about Turkey's plans for a "peace" summit of
heads of state or government of Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt,
Saudi Arabia and Iran. Gokturk confirmed that FM Yakis had
called in ambassadors/charges from the five other countries
1/16 and proposed the summit for 1/23 in Istanbul. They are
awaiting responses.
2. (C) Regarding any declaration the summit would produce,
Gokturk says Turkey will push for a clear message to the
Iraqi leadership. Turkey also wants it to say that the six
are "no enemy of the Iraqi nation, only its leadership."
Turkey wants the declaration to refer to the need for further
UNSC discussion. Ankara wants the summit to be
"complementary to efforts of the Security Council." It
should not be diluted by any attempts to "balance" the
language with criticism of the US. This is not a "balancing
act," Gokturk said, a point Gokturk said Yakis had also made
to the Arab and Iranian Chiefs of Mission. That said,
Gokturk admitted that other participants would obviously try
to influence the declaration and that the final product would
inevitably be the "weakest common denominator" of the six
countries.
3. (C) Regarding the "game plan": Turkey realized the summit
was short notice, but Ankara sees the need to act swiftly
("we can't wait until March"). Turkish embassies in the five
capitals are double-tracking the invitations. Finally,
Gokturk promised to remain in constant consultation with the
Embassy on the summit. "We will keep you posted."
PEARSON