BMENAI DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE DIALOGUE CO-SPONSORS

UNCLAS ANKARA 005081

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IT PREL TU YM
SUBJECT: BMENAI DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE DIALOGUE CO-SPONSORS
MEET IN ANKARA



1. (SBU) Summary: BMENAI Democracy Assistance Dialogue
(DAD) co-sponsor Turkey met separately with representatives
from fellow co-sponors Italy and Yemen in Ankara September 7
and 8 and agreed on a broad outline for the DAD's efforts.
They envision annual plenary meetings and separate periodic
meetings on specific DAD topics. The co-sponsors plan to
take responsibility for convening meetings and managing the
DAD work program. They tentatively plan to launch DAD at a
November 26 meeting of the three FMs in Rome to which they
will invite the U.S. in its role as G-8 chair. According to
the Turkish MFA, Yemeni participation in the Ankara meeting
was enthusiastic; the Yemenis are reportedly offering to host
the first Forum for the Future (FTF) meeting. DAD funding is
a question mark. End Summary


2. (U) Representatives of BMENAI Democracy Assistance
Dialogue (DAD) co-sponsor Turkey met separately with
co-sponsors Italy and Yemen in Ankara on September 7 and 8 to
organize and chart a way forward for the DAD. Turkish MFA
Policy Planning Department Head Burak Akcapar briefed us
September 8, just after the MFA finished meeting with the
Yemenis.


3. (SBU) The DAD co-sponsors initially envision efforts
proceeding along three vectors. First, they foresee an
annual DAD plenary meeting where governments and NGOs will
exchange information and ideas on best practices, and draw up
and monitor the DAD work program. Second, they envision
other periodic meetings dedicated to specific DAD topics,
e.g., judicial reform, the role of women, etc. Third, the
Yemenis proposed establishing a "democracy training center"
in Turkey and a center to coordinate NGO efforts (a "DAD
hub") in Yemen. The Turks are positive on both ideas but
think them premature.


4. (SBU) The co-sponsors will put their ideas in a draft
plan that they will circulate to the G-8 and FTF nations.
The co-sponsors plan to brief the September 24 FTF
preparatory meeting on their efforts, although they have not
yet decided which co-sponsor will brief. The co-sponsors
will take responsibility for convening meetings and managing
the DAD work program. The Turks and Italians envision
managing the work program in a format similar to NATO's EAPC
action plans.


5. (SBU) The co-sponsors tentatively plan to launch DAD at a
November 26 meeting of the three FMs in Rome. They will also
invite the U.S. in its role as G-8 chair. According to
Akcapar, the co-sponsors decided on the three-plus-one
format, vice inviting all G-8, partner and regional
countries, to initially avoid the problem of no-shows. The
Turks want to begin DAD with small but sure steps, Akcapar
explained. The co-sponsors also plan for civil society
institutions from co-sponsor nations to meet two days before
the FMs' meeting and prepare a report on their priorities for
2005 to present to the FMs on the 26th.


6. (SBU) Akcapar said the Yemenis offered to host the first
FTF meeting. The Yemenis initially told the Turks they would
host the DAD inaugural conference, but withdrew that offer
and substituted the offer to host FTF. Akcapar's read is
that the Yemenis want a bigger BMENAI role; he described
Yemeni participation in the Ankara meeting as "cooperative,
forthcoming and enthusiastic."


7. (SBU) While Akcapar appeared pleased that the Ankara
meetings have charted a concrete way forward for DAD, he said
that funding for DAD meetings and other DAD activities
remains a troubling question mark. The co-sponsors cannot
pay indefinitely, he said.
EDELMAN