TURKISH ARMED FORCES DEPUTY AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000776

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH ARMED FORCES DEPUTY AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO
EU, BUT TAKES SWIPES AT U.S., EU, AND DOMESTIC "OPPONENTS"


Classified By: Consul General David Arnett for Reasons 1.5 (b & d)



1. (C) Summary: Declaring at a globalization conference that
the Turkish military is not against Turkey's pursuit of EU
membership, deputy chief of the TGS Buyukanit further
qualified the military's stance with a series of reservations
and an indirect but clear set of jabs at the U.S. End
summary.



2. (SBU) Opening a Turkish Armed Forces-sponsored symposium
on globalization at the Military Academy in Istanbul on May
29, Turkish General Staff (TGS) deputy Yasar Buyukanit
declared that the Turkish Armed Forces cannot be against the
EU because the EU is the "ultimate condition" for realizing
Ataturk's modernization targets. He went on to denounce
claims that the Turkish military opposed European Union
membership as an "unfair attack." He called for the EU to
treat Turkey's "40-year old" membership application "without
any prejudice." At the same time, Buyukanit denounced past
foreign support for domestic terrorism (i.e., Kurdish
separatism) by countries using the guise of "trying to teach
us human rights." Buyukanit also warned those with "archaic
and separatist goals" that EU membership could not be used as
a means to advance their objectives.



3. (SBU) In thinly-veiled criticism of the U.S. and Western
Europe, Buyukanit criticized "developed" and "hegemonic"
states for not being sensitive to local concerns in pursuing
policies that "exploit ethnic diversities" and "damage social
stability" in developing countries. While condemning
terrorism, Buyukanit said that "powerful countries" must also
pursue strategies that are in compliance with international
law. Finally, in light of vast income disparities, developed
countries should be less "stingy" in their approach to
developing countries.



4. (C) Amidst continuing speculation following remarks by NSC
Secretary-General Kilinc and subsequent remarks by TGS Chief

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Ozkok, conference attendees (including many of Turkey's most
prominent columnists, academics, and retired diplomats and
generals) expected Buyukanit to deliver a message confirming
the military's commitment to Turkey's EU membership.
Although most appeared encouraged by his remarks, some of the
attendess were unconvinced. Ilnur Cevik, editor and
columnist for the English-language Turkish Daily News,
pointed out to poloff that Buyukanit had given no specifics
on the necessary steps that the military itself would have to
take for Turkey to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria. One
foreign analyst and long-time Turkey resident was
particularly struck by the jabs at the U.S. In remarks to
Pol Counselor in Ankara, leading commentator Cengiz Candar
agreed with this latter assessment. Candar saw Buyukanit as
using the EU-candidacy-related portion of his remarks (with
support for EU candidacy couched in negative terms, i.e. the
Armed Forces "cannot be against") as a mere lead-in to a
criticism of the U.S. and a warning to domestic groups the
military judges to be against Ataturkist principles.



5. (U) Other columnists also picked up on the negative
message: Sedat Ergin in centrist mass-circulation "Hurriyet"
focused on Buyukanit's criticism of the U.S. and
globalization; Himet Bila in Kemalist "Cumhuriyet"
interpreted the remarks as a warning to the West and a
defiant statement against those who want to see the Turkish
military's influence wane.



6. (C) Comment: lack of specifics and swipes at the U.S. and
EU in Buyukanit's remarks have left many questions
unanswered. Some of our Istanbul contacts worry that at a
time when the TGS is making critical decisions about
senior-level appointments, TGS Chief Ozkok appears to be more
and more isolated. Hurriyet columnist Cuneyt Ulsever told
poloff before the speech that he is worried about divisions
within the top brass and thinks some anti-EU hard-liners may
be looking for an "emergency" to justify extending in their
positions for another year.
ARNETT