PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI'S FIRST VISIT TO TURKEY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002948

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014
TAGS: ECON GG PREL TU
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT SAAKASHVILI'S FIRST VISIT TO TURKEY

REF: 2003 ANKARA 0541


(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4
(b) and (d).



1. (C) Summary: During President Saakashvili's first-ever
May 20-22 visit to Turkey, he expressed satisfaction with the
GOT's position on Ajara and asked the Turks to help convince
Russia to give up its Georgian bases, according to Georgian
DCM Tabatadze. His GOT interlocutors expressed support for
Georgian territorial integrity and sovereignty, encouraged
Saakashvili to peaceably settle differences with South
Ossetia and Abkhazia, and made a surprisingly strong pitch
for resettlement of Meskhetian Turks. The GOT promised to
continue military assistance to Georgia. The GOT appears to
have convinced Saakashvili to ease controls and fees at the
border, but other economic and commercial overtures yielded
no definite results. End Summary.


Regional Issues



2. (C) Saakashvili expressed his satisfaction with the
position the GOT took during the Ajara confrontation that
ended with Abashizde's May 6 departure. Turkish
interlocutors said they support for Georgian territorial
integrity and sovereignty but cautioned that differences with
South Ossetia and Abkhazia should be solved peacefully.
Saakashvili asked the Turks to push Russia to give up its
Georgian bases. FM Gul raised Azeri/Armenian relations,
saying he hoped Georgia would help foster dialogue and
encourage Armenian withdrawal from occupied territory.



3. (C) From the beginning, the Turks pushed Saakashvili for
resettlement of Meskhetian Turks; Tabatadze said this was a
major GOT issue in all meetings. The GOT was previously
reluctant to push the GOG on this, due to Georgia's delicate
internal political situation (reftel). Saakashvili
reiterated the GOG's commitment to fulfill its COE
obligations, but said Georgia's economic problems presented
too great a burden to permit resettlement now; Georgia will
focus first on its own IDPs. In any event, Saakashvili
added, the GOG will not resettle the Meskhetians in their
areas of origin, which are currently occupied by ethnic
Armenians, because this could lead to ethnic tension.


Military Issues



4. (C) Saakashvili expressed appreciation for Turkish
military assistance, noting that Turkish-trained units had
high morale and good discipline. The Turks promised to
continue assistance to the 11th Brigade and a commando
brigade, assistance to the Tbilisi military academy, and
refurbishment of the Tbilisi military airport, including
supply of communications equipment.


Economic/Commercial



5. (C) The Turks asked Saakashvili to reduce fees and
streamline procedures for Turkish truckers crossing the
Georgian border. The GOT blamed current border controls for
a reduction in annual truck traffic from 25,000 to 8,000.
According to a Georgian press report, upon his return from
Turkey, Saakashvili went straight to the Sarpi border
crossing and ordered customs officials to ease crossing
procedures.



6. (C) The Turks had less luck in pressing Saakashvili for a
double taxation agreement. Among other provisions, the GOT
wants an agreement including a one-year tax exemption for
Turkish construction firms; since most projects can be
completed within a year, this would amount to a permanent
exemption for Turkish firms. The two sides decided only to
continue negotiations.



7. (C) Saakashvili highlighted his commitment to fight
corruption and improve Georgia's foreign investment climate.
The sides discussed possible Turkish renovation of the Batumi
airport, construction of a railway linking Kars and
Akhalkalaki, and other commercial ventures. Tabatadze said
he heard lots of "talk" but no definite proposals; he expects
no concrete commercial projects coming out of the visit.
EDELMAN