SHARING THE GMEI SUPPORT PLAN: TURKEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002743 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2014 TAGS: ECON PREL TU KMPI SUBJECT: SHARING THE GMEI SUPPORT PLAN: TURKEY REF: A. STATE 106755 ¶B. 11 MAY 2004 MULENEX-DEUTSCH/POWELL/KHALILZAD E-MAIL ¶C. 13 MAY 2004 BRYZA-PASCOE E-MAIL ¶D. ANKARA 2422 (U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) We delivered ref A points and ref B Plan of Support on May 14 to Turkish MFA Policy Planning Department Head Akcapar and Middle East Department Section Chief Sekizkok. Per ref A, we modified ref B cover letter to include a paragraph reading "We are conveying this to you at this point to ensure full coordination with the Government of Turkey in its capacity as a partner and co-sponsor of certain Greater Middle East efforts." We also stressed this point orally. ¶2. (C) Akcapar welcomed our initiative and USG responsiveness on Turkey's ideas on the most recent Democracy Assistance Group (DAG) paper. He urged the U.S. to continue close consultations with Turkey on GMEI. He reiterated PM Erdogan's and FM Gul's statements that Middle East reform is necessary and achievable. He also welcomed the "generational" nature of the GMEI commitment, saying that will help ensure gradual reform without endangering regional stability. ¶3. (C) Akcapar said the GOT is focusing on suggestions for DAG co-sponsors. He reiterated ref C suggestions of Germany, France, or Italy as the G-8 co-sponsor. For the regional co-sponsor, Akcapar said Turkey's first preference is Syria. Akcapar noted recent U.S./Syrian "tension," but said Syrian co-sponsorship will raise the DAG profile and give it more weight in the Arab world. He added Turkey's "developing" relations with Syria will positively impact DAG functioning. However, he said Turkey can work with Yemen if Syria is not named as a co-sponsor. He asked that Turkey be kept "in the loop" on the status of co-sponsorships. ¶4. (C) Contrary to what Sekizkok told us April 29 (ref D) Akcapar said his personal opinion is that the GMEI need not include concrete provisions on the Israel/Palestinian conflict, but as a practical matter, he predicted lack of progress on the ground will hamper GMEI. He agreed lack of progress between Israel and the Palestinians should not be an excuse to delay regional reform. He added that regional governments needed to be involved in GMEI initiatives in their countries. Akcapar predicted that after the upcoming OIC Summit in Istanbul, Turkey will issue a "progressive declaration" (separate from the OIC communiqu, which will require consensus) referring to GMEI goals including democracy, good governance, reform and gender equality. ¶5. (C) Akcapar said GMEI is coming at a crucial time. Turkey's delegation to the OIC preparatory meetings in Jeddah returned "alarmed," he said, at the level of anti-Americanism among other delegations. EDELMAN