DEMARCHE OPPOSING CUBA'S UN RESOLUTION AGAINST THE

UNCLAS ANKARA 005823 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ETRD CU TU UNGA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE OPPOSING CUBA'S UN RESOLUTION AGAINST THE EMBARGO REF: STATE 215870 ¶1. (U) We presented reftel demarche October 8 to Turkish MFA's Latin America Head of Department Cen Onder. As instructed in the cable, we asked that Turkey consider abstaining if it could not support the U.S. request. ¶2. (U) Onder indicated that Turkey would check with the European Union countries as well as "other international obligations" before determining how to vote this year. He dodged further by drawing on an old saw to assert Turkish foreign policy was based on Ataturk's philosophy of "Peace at home, peace abroad." Speculating that Turkey would use previous wording related to Cuba, Onder provided a copy of Turkey's June 12, 2003 statement, which states: "1. The Republic of Turkey does not have any laws or measures of the kind referred to in the preamble to Resolution 57/11 (Resolution regarding Cuba in 2003) and reaffirms its adherence to the principle of freedom of trade and navigation in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. ¶2. The Government of Turkey is of the view that differences and problems between States should be settled through dialogue and negotiations." EDELMAN