AMBASSADOR URGES TURKISH MFA TO PRESS SYRIA ON

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001213

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015
TAGS: PREL TU LE SY
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES TURKISH MFA TO PRESS SYRIA ON
TROOP WITHDRAWAL

REF: A. STATE 39018


B. ANKARA 916

C. ANKARA 296

D. STATE 39023

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


1. (S) Summary: On March 4 Ambassador urged Turkish MFA U/S
Tuygan to have the MFA press the Syrians on troop withdrawal
from Lebanon. Ambassador followed up with ref A points on
March 6. Tuygan said the GOT is contemplating a letter from
PM Erdogan to Assad. Tuygan called ref A points "well taken"
and undertook to pass them to FM Gul immediately. The
Ambassador also urged the MFA to press the Syrians to close
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) offices and share information
on Syrian troop movements, End Summary

Ambassador Urges Turks to Press Assad
--------------


2. (C) On March 4, the Ambassador told Tuygan Turkey is out
of step with the international community in not pressing the
Syrians to withdraw from Lebanon. The Ambassador noted
Turkey has invested considerable political capital in
developing relations with Syria over the past year and now is
the time to use that capital. The Ambassador urged an
unambiguous message from Turkey to Syria to comply with UNSCR

1559. Noting that Turkey has sent FM Gul to Israel and the
Palestinian territories and hopes to play a constructive role
in the Middle East peace process, the Ambassador suggested
the letter include s strongly-worded statement telling Assad
to shut down PIJ offices in Damascus as well.


3. (C) Tuygan said the MFA is considering a letter from PM
Erdogan to Assad urging compliance. Erdogan was on a trip to
Africa at the time and Tuygan said the MFA would raise it
with him after his return (Erdogan returned March 6). Tuygan
said the MFA has over the past few months blocked requests
from Turkish defense firms to sell weapons to Syria.
Referring to recent Embassy demarches urging the Turks not to
ratify the Turkey/Syria free trade agreement (refs B and C),
Tuygan said the agreement is required by the Euro-Med
Dialogue. The Ambassador urged Tuygan to re-check this; our
understanding is that Syrian-EU relations are currently on
hold.


4. (S) Ambassador raised ref A points with Tuygan on March
6, relaying our high concern that Syrian and pro-Syrian
Lebanese forces could re-position to threaten demonstrators
in Martyrs' Square (ref D). The Ambassador noted that the
USG has warned Damascus and Beirut the USG will hold them
responsible for any violence directed toward peaceful
demonstrators. The Ambassador noted that as a neighbor to
Syria, Turkey may be monitoring Syrian troop movements; the
U.S. will welcome any information Turkey may be able to pass
on this score (see IIR 6 898 0135 05; Ankara TU 1212).


5. (C) Tuygan replied ref A points were "well taken" and
would be relayed to FM Gul immediately. Tuygan had not read
Assad's speech but said "at a minimum" Assad was not precise
on the conditions of the Syrian withdrawal. Ambassador noted
March 4 press reports that Turkish President Sezer plans a
visit to Syria; Tuygan replied the visit had been tentatively
scheduled for April but is now being reconsidered.

Media Commentary
--------------


6. (SBU) There has been much media comment about Syria. In
an interview published March 2 in the newspaper Hurriyet, FM
Gul characterized Assad as popular in Syria and said he
should be supported. The few commentators who have addressed
Gul's comments have been critical. Commentators have been
split on the larger question of Turkey's relations with
Syria. However, when we spoke to one AK MP privately about
Gul's comments, he made no attempt to defend them (he is not
in the Gul camp),quickly dismissing them as "wrong."

Another Bland MFA Statement
--------------


7. (SBU) On March 7, the MFA issued a statement on Syria and
Lebanon. Like the February 14 statements, it was notably
bland, supporting Lebanese independence and UNSCR 1559,
saying that 1559's implementation "has gained crucial
importance." The statement called for free elections in
Lebanon and said Turkey "is pleased that Syrian units will
begin to be withdrawn from Lebanon today (sic)."
EDELMAN