CHARGE D'AFFAIRES UNDERSCORES USG PRIORITIES WITH

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003892

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ SY IR TU
SUBJECT: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES UNDERSCORES USG PRIORITIES WITH
TURKEY'S NSC SECRETARY-GENERAL ALPOGAN

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: In her introductory call on Turkey's NSC
Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan, Charge d'Affaires (CDA)

SIPDIS
urged Turkey to get in lockstep with the US on Syria and
Iran, noted continuing USG efforts to recognize northern
Cyprus' April 2004 vote in support of the Annan Plan and
inquired about PKK action inside Turkey. She urged Turkey to
maintain momentum in preparation for the Oct. 3 start of EU
accession negotiations and pressed the government to publicly
welcome Christian missionaries to Turkey and to prosecute
those who commit violence against them. On Syria, Alpogan
stuck to the government line that President Assad should be
given time to implement reforms but, on Iran, suggested that
Turkey's past policy of cooperation would have to be
re-evaluated in light of Ahmadinejad's election as President.
Alpogan said Turkey was committed to the EU accession talks.
He expected Turkey to sign the Ankara Agreement Extension
Protocol in July but to take no further steps towards a
Cyprus solution until Cypriot President Papadopoulos leaves
office. He pledged to publicly support missionary work in
Turkey. Alpogan did not rule out joint actions in Turkey
against the PKK but suggested that US hand-over of PKK
members captured in northern Iraq would provide great mileage
for bilateral relations. He welcomed an early October or
November time frame for his first visit to Washington as
SecGen. (We request guidance in para. 9.) END SUMMARY.

TIME TO MOVE FROM WORDS TO ACTION ON SYRIA
--------------


2. (C) Charge characterized President Bush's June 8 meeting
with PM Erdogan as a positive step to move the bilateral
relationship forward. However, she noted that the issues of
Syria and Iran remained areas of potential disagreement. The
US had made clear our concerns about Syrian actions to
interfere in Lebanon's democratization process and undermine
the Middle East Peace Process and about the use of Syria as a
base by Iraqi resistance forces for operations in Iraq.
Alpogan responded that the official government line was to
give Bashar Assad more time and opportunity to get engaged;
to help him to reform his own government. This requires
continued dialogue. Charge pointed out that given evidence
of Syria's interference in Lebanon, Iraq and Israel, the time
for dialogue was running out. Without committing to any
specific action, Alpogan acknowledged that following a visit
to Israel he better understood the Israeli perspective and
said the NSC periodically shares its views with the
government.

TURKEY REVIEWING ITS POLICY TOWARDS IRAN
--------------


3. (C) Alpogan acknowledged that Ahmadinejad's recent
election as Iran's President came as a surprise to Turkey,
and called his receipt of two-thirds of the votes "shocking."
Alpogan said he did not expect revolutionary change
following the election because the mullahs control the
country, and, like past President Khatami, Ahmadinejad will
gradually become powerless. Still, Turkey will re-evaluate
its past policies in support of a stable relationship,
economic cooperation and the EU-3 process on Iran's nuclear
program. Charge urged close coordination between the US and
Turkey on Iran, noting the large reform element in the
population. Alpogan agreed on the need for cooperation but
said that the election results belie the existence of a large
reform element in Iran. He compared Iranian reformers to
wealthy, educated Istanbulites who say Turkey is ready for
the EU, oblivious to the large majority of the country that
doesn't share their circumstances or perspective.

NO PROGRESS ON CYPRUS UNTIL PAPADOPOULOS GONE
--------------


4. (C) Noting USG efforts to support northern Cyprus through
the recent visits of trade and Congressional delegations,
increased scholarships to northern Cypriot students and other
measures, Charge asked about Turkey's strategy to address the
Cyprus problem. Alpogan thanked the US for its support and
expressed his hope that we would continue these types of
measures. He said Turkey's plan is to wait out Cypriot
President Papadopoulos and deal with his successor. Claiming
"there is no hope for him," Alpogan characterized
Papadopoulos as "anti-Turk, anti-solution and a terrorist."
He dismissed any hope of a compromise with the President,
saying "Nothing can be done with him; nothing is ever final
with him because he changes his opinion. Turkey will wait two
years until he is gone and will ask the EU to be patient."
In Alpogan's view, nothing short of this would push the Greek
Cypriots to work towards a solution.

BUT WE WILL SIGN THE EXTENSION PROTOCOL IN JULY
-------------- --


5. (C) On a more positive note, Alpogan expected Turkey to
sign the Ankara Agreement Extension protocol in July. Turkey
and the EU had agreed on the text, which is being translated.
Charge underscored continued USG support for Turkey's EU
accession process. Welcoming PM Erdogan's positive
statements about Turkey's accession efforts in the wake of
the French and Dutch referendums, she emphasized the
importance of continued reforms and a positive public
relations effort.

ALPOGAN PLEDGES PUBLIC SUPPORT OF MISSIONARIES
-------------- -


6. (C) Charge welcomed the decision on the Protocol but said
other issues had to be managed before Oct. 3, such as
religious tolerance, and specifically Turkey's perceived
discrimination against Christian missionaries. She pressed
for public government statements welcoming missionaries and
law enforcement action against those who perpetrate crimes
against them. Saying he had publicly supported the US/Turkey
relationship during the recent difficulties in the bilateral
relationship because it was important -- and that the Chief
of the Turkish General Staff (CHOD) had followed his lead --
Alpogan pledged to make a public statement welcoming
missionaries to Turkey. He cautioned that he could not speak
for others in the government, however, and that he would need
to carefully time his statement and include it in a broader
message on other issues in order for it to be effective.

JOINING FORCES AGAINST THE PKK IN TURKEY
--------------


7. (S/NF) The PKK terrorist group is a problem that the US
and Turkey share, said the Charge. The USG has taken some
steps against the PKK but had been unable to fulfill Turkey's
request for action in northern Iraq given the security
situation. Until circumstances on the ground change enough
to allow action in northern Iraq, there might be other steps
the US and Turkey could take inside Turkey. Alpogan said
that if the date was not disclosed and the actions were kept
quiet it might be possible. However, in his opinion, a
symbolic but very public action, such as the hand-over of the
3-4 PKK members recently captured by US troops in northern
Iraq to Turkey - with or without Osman Ocalan -- would be of
great positive significance to US/Turkish relations. Alpogan
said that the hand-over could be broadly publicized and would
generate significant goodwill. (Note: We have no information
to suggest CF are holding any PKK members in Iraq. End Note.)

NSC REORGANIZATION A WORK IN PROGRESS
--------------


8. (C) Alpogan called the NSC restructuring process which
began with his appointment nine months ago a work in
progress. With the NSC's new legislative mandate to act as
an advisory body, duties had been revised, staff had been
reduced from over 300 to around 100 and there were no plans
to hire additional personnel. Alpogan claimed the support of
the President, Prime Minister and CHOD but admitted it would
take time to get complete military buy-in. Despite press
reports that the postponement of a decision on a new National
Security Policy document -- expected at the June 21 NSC
meeting -- was based on Turkish General Staff unhappiness
with the wording on Cyprus, internal separatist threats and
the importance of the nation state as well as the abbreviated
length -- down to 21 pages from over 200 -- Alpogan claimed
there was no disagreement among the agencies but that more
time was needed for review. In a change from the past, the
new document did not list specific internal and external
threats. Instead it focused on important foreign policy
issues such as weapons of mass destruction, international
terrorism and illegal migration. Alpogan had agreed to
postpone discussion of the policy document to the NSC meeting
in August but in actuality did not plan to "burden the
meeting" with this document since that meeting would likely
be reserved for farewell speeches in honor of several
Generals whose retirement would be announced at the annual
Supreme Military Council meeting in early August. (Note: NSC
meetings are bimonthly so this effectively puts off
discussion until October. End Note.)


9. (U) Charge offered to share information on the
organization and function of the US NSC and looked forward to
a visit by Alpogan to Washington to compare notes firsthand.
Alpogan welcomed a opportunity to do so this fall at a time
convenient to NSA Hadley. He asked for two alternative time
frames and suggested early October or early November.
(Comment: Post would appreciate Department assistance to
check NSA Hadley's availability during these time periods.
End Comment.)



MCELDOWNEY