Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA5883
2004-10-15 15:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKISH/GREEK AEGEAN AGREEMENT ON HOLD, CONTACTS

Tags:  GR TU PREL CY MARR 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005883 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2014
TAGS: GR TU PREL CY MARR
SUBJECT: TURKISH/GREEK AEGEAN AGREEMENT ON HOLD, CONTACTS
WILL CONTINUE


(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman, E.O. 12958,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005883

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2014
TAGS: GR TU PREL CY MARR
SUBJECT: TURKISH/GREEK AEGEAN AGREEMENT ON HOLD, CONTACTS
WILL CONTINUE


(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman, E.O. 12958,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: According to Turkish MFA U/S Ziyal, the
Greek government is currently not ready to conclude a
comprehensive Aegean agreement but still wants to maintain an
Aegean dialogue with the Turks. Ziyal believes Greek FM
Molyviatis is reluctant to conclude an agreement and that
lack of a Cyprus settlement makes such an agreement
politically difficult for the GoG. End Summary.

Skopelitis Deletes Most of Draft Agreement
--------------


2. (C) In a September 27 meeting with Ambassador Edelman and
UK Ambassador Westmacott on the status of Turkish/Greek
Aegean negotiations, U/S Ziyal noted that he previously
reported that chief Greek Aegean negotiator (and current
Ambassador to the UK) Skopelitis was backpedaling on items
Ziyal thought were settled. Ziyal referred to a four-page
draft document with a one-page annex outlining the proposed
solution. Ziyal said he had thought all but two or three
paragraphs were agreed to, but on September 24, in a round of
negotiations that went for one session instead of the usual
two, Skopelitis insisted on deleting most of it, in effect
leaving nothing.

Continuing Dialogue Without Solution on the Horizon
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Ziyal said this and other information he received had
convinced him the Greeks are not currently inclined to
conclude a comprehensive Aegean agreement. However, Ziyal
thinks they are still interested in maintaining the dialogue
with the Turks; so are the Turks. Ziyal said FM Molyviatis
told him that even without a solution, continued dialogue
will allow the GoG to tell the EU that Turkey is fulfilling
Helsinki agreement requirements. Ziyal, who will become
ambassador to Italy in November, is not certain who will
continue to negotiate for Turkey, but thinks the better
course is that both negotiators be from their respective
foreign ministries' home offices.


4. (C) According to Ziyal, the Turks want sea and air space
issues resolved together; the Greeks want to resolve the
continental shelf issues separately from the air space
issues. Air corridor issues had basically been resolved, but
Ziyal said FIR issues are difficult to resolve in isolation
from other issues. MFA legal adviser Bolukbasi added that
the GoG refuses to submit these matters to third party
arbitration or the ICJ. The Greeks have expressed interest
in resolving eastern Mediterranean issues, including Cyprus,
which the Turks are not inclined to do absent a Cyprus
solution.


5. (C) Comment: Ziyal attributed Skopelitis' turnaround to
FM Molyviatis' more "hard line" perspective and to the lack
of a Cyprus agreement, which the GoG perceives as limiting
its room to make Aegean concessions. We defer to Embassy
Athens, but our impression, based on Ziyal's account and
shared by UK Ambassador Westmacott, is that the GoG thinks an
Aegean agreement without a Cyprus settlement will face tough
criticism at home and make it harder for the GoG to advocate
Turkish EU accession in December. End Comment.
EDELMAN