TURKS AGREE TO REGULAR CONSULTATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002786 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2015 TAGS: PREL EFIN ETRD PGOV US TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKS AGREE TO REGULAR CONSULTATIONS REF: A. STATE 85792 (NOTAL) ¶B. ANKARA 2720 Classified By: Acting DCM James R. Moore for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On May 13, Acting DCM discussed reftel list of proposed consultations with Turkey with Amb. Selahattin Alpar, MFA Director General for Bilateral Political Affairs. Visiting EUR DAS Laura Kennedy and MFA Under Secretary Ali Tuygan had informally agreed on reftel list in their May 3 meeting in Ankara (ref b). Alpar confirmed Turkey's interest in these consultations and provided MFA's thinking on timing and venue. Embassy will follow up with relevant bureaus and embassies regarding the Turks' thinking on these operational issues. ¶2. (C) A/DCM recommended that consultations with EUR/SNEC Special Negotiator Amb. Steven Mann should include discussions on Nagorno-Karabakh in addition to regional energy cooperation. ¶3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. EDELMAN