Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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04ANKARA5784 | 2004-10-12 04:49:00 | SECRET | Embassy Ankara |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005784 |
1. (C) Summary: UK FM Straw met with Turkish FM Gul the morning after the EC issued its Turkey report. Gul said Turkey is pleased overall with the report but cited some complaints, including on economic issues. Gul wants PM Erdogan to write to the EU about them. Gul urged direct flights to north Cyprus; Straw briefed him on the status of EU trade and aid proposals for Turkish Cypriots. Gul stressed the number of Turkish truckers killed or missing in Iraq, the lack of U.S. action against the PKK, the explosive situation in Kirkuk, and what he characterized as disproportionate use of force by U.S. forces. After the Straw/Gul meeting, FCO PolDir Sawers met with MFA Deputy U/S Tuygan to discuss Iraq, Iran, and the Caucasus. End Summary. Good Atmospherics -------------------------- 2. (C) UK FM Straw came to Turkey late October 6 for October 7 meetings with FM Gul, Interior Minister Aksu, and Justice Minster and government spokesman Cicek. After an hour-long breakfast with Gul, Straw met with Aksu on bilateral law enforcement issues. UK Political chief Sharma gave us a readout of the Gul meeting, which he said had good atmospherics. Turkey/EU -------------------------- 3. (C) Straw congratulated Gul for the October 6 EC Recommendation report on Turkey's EU accession. Turkey had achieved its objective and gotten a strong positive recommendation. Straw urged Gul to focus on the positive and not to worry about the report's comment that the process is "open-ended," or about the possibility of suspension of negotiations. Once negotiations start, Turkish and European publics will forget about the conditions and become accustomed to the idea of Turkey in the EU, Straw assured Gul. Straw added that there can be no permanent derogation on free movement of people, because that would violate a core EU principle. Straw said he expects negotiations to begin before the end of the Luxembourg Presidency (i.e., before June 30). 4. (C) Gul said Turkey is pleased overall but unhappy about a few things. Gul read off a list: opening negotiations on economic chapters when, Gul said, Turkey already has a market economy; stating that Turkey must fulfill Customs Union obligations before opening negotiations; the ongoing screening process; waiting until after 2014 to start the chapter on financial issues. Gul said Turkey is looking forward to the European Summit to "correct" these things in December, and he said he wants PM Erdogan to write to the EU about them. Turkish UK Ambassador Alptuner added that Turkey had had too many conditions placed on it. Cyprus -------------------------- 5. (C) Gul reiterated that Turkey is seeking direct flights between the UK and north Cyprus; such flights are not economically feasible from New York but are from the UK. Straw said he understood the Turkish request but that the UK wants to proceed carefully in order to avoid provoking the Greek Cypriots before the December EU Summit decision on Turkey's EU accession. Straw was more optimistic about prospects for measures to help Turkish Cypriots after December. He said that the UK will try to prevent decoupling of the EU's trade and aid provisions for Turkish Cypriots. 6. (C) Straw briefed Gul on the status of EU trade and aid proposals for the TCs. Aid has been agreed to in substance with some conditions (NFI), and will be passed in November. As a condition of the agreement on aid, trade will be adopted by a date certain (NFI). Gul appeared reassured. He asked if aid had been "diluted"; Straw replied the TCs will be able to participate. Iraq -------------------------- 7. (C) Straw told Gul the security situation in Iraq was bad and had become worse over the past year. Gul claimed 47 Turks had been killed in Iraq and another 60 are unaccounted for. This is more than the number of UK soldiers killed in Iraq (11), Gul added. Gul complained that PKK leader Osman Ocalan is moving about Iraq freely while Turkish truck drivers are killed. Coalition forces' disproportionate (according to Gul) use of force is alienating the Iraqi population. He said the Kurds are taking over Kirkuk and this could spark conflict. 8. (C) Straw said he had counseled the Kurds to be restrained and patient during his recent trip to Iraq. Straw observed the IIG is making a significant contribution to Iraqi security, including on a political track through contacts with local leaders. The UK is concerned about possible flare-ups in Mosul and Fallujah. However, election preparations are advancing. Sawer/Tuygan on Iraq -------------------------- 9. (C) After the Straw/Gul meeting, FCO PolDir Sawers met with MFA Deputy U/S (soon to be U/S) Tuygan for two hours, mostly on Iraq. In general, Tuygan amplified Gul's points. On Kirkuk, Sawers noted local leaders' tradition of co-existence; Tuygan agreed but added pointedly that newcomer Kurds did not have that tradition. 10. (S) Tuygan echoed Gul's complaints about Osman Ocalan's apparent ability to move about freely; adding U.S. inaction is disappointing. He claimed the U.S. and GOT had agreed to a "roadmap" to either seize senior PKK officials or to engage in operations and that had not happened. He said 1500 PKK had crossed from Iraq into Turkey (without mentioning what time period he was talking about). If there were more reports of crossings in large numbers, Turkey will have to take action. Sawers emphasized the need for Turkey to discuss any such plan with the MNF and IIG beforehand; Tuygan said Turkey would want to consult. Sawers asked if Turkey would talk to Osman Ocalan; Tuygan said never. Sawer/Tuygan on Iran, Caucasus -------------------------- 11. (C) Sawer said the EU-3 initiative is likely coming to an end: they will give the Iranians a final chance over the next three weeks and if there is no positive result, go to the IAEA board for UNSC referral. Sawer doubted the Iranians would meet EU-3 demands. Tuygan said Iran has a great ability to absorb punishment but Turkey supports the EU position on Iran. Tuygan described Turkey's commercial relations with Iran as "extensive." However, Turkey is feeling the effect of conservatives' consolidated hold on Iran, Tuygan said, citing stalled commercial deals. 12. (C) On Georgia, Tuygan worried about Tbilisi's nationalist rhetoric on South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and Turkey, he said, noting a recent Georgian TV program showed parts of eastern Turkey as formerly included in Georgia. Turkey will continue to support Georgia and counsel Saakashvili to exercise caution in dealing with problems, but will watch Georgia closely. Straw said the UK is telling Russia a stable Georgia is in Russia's interest; Tuygan said Russia needs to be engaged. 13. (C) Tuygan said Turkey is in dialogue with Armenia on bilateral issues and Nagorno-Karabakh. Tuygan said the Armenians want to "decouple" these issues but Turkey will not open the border without concessions on NK. 14. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. EDELMAN |