Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ANKARA5164
2005-09-02 15:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKEY PROVIDES THE STAGE FOR HISTORIC

Tags:  PREL TU IS PK 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005164 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2015
TAGS: PREL TU IS PK
SUBJECT: TURKEY PROVIDES THE STAGE FOR HISTORIC
ISRAEL-PAKISTAN MEETING


(U) Classified by Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, E.O.
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005164

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2015
TAGS: PREL TU IS PK
SUBJECT: TURKEY PROVIDES THE STAGE FOR HISTORIC
ISRAEL-PAKISTAN MEETING


(U) Classified by Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, E.O.
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: Istanbul was the scene of historic August
31 - September 1 meetings between Israel FM Shalom and
Pakistani FM Kasuri. The Pakistanis contacted Turkish PM
Erdogan for help in setting up the meeting; the Turks had no
role in its political substance. The GOI appreciates
Turkey's role. The Turkish MFA played no role in the meeting
and MFA officials were notably out of the loop. End Summary.

Turkey's Logistical Role
--------------


2. (C) According to Egemen Bagis, a member of parliament
from PM Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP),
Pakistani PM Aziz called Erdogan August 23, informed him of
the meeting, and asked Erdogan to help organize it. Erdogan
called Israel PM Sharon, who welcomed Turkish logistical
assistance. Bagis, whom both Shalom and Kasuri thanked for
his help, told us Turkey's role was "just a broker." Bagis
himself organized transportation, lodgings and security.


3. (C) According to Bagis, Turkey had no role in the
substance of the discussions, nor are there any plans for a
Turkish role in future Israel/Pakistan contacts.


4. (C) Turkey has long sought a role as a high-profile
intermediary between Israel and the Palestinians; both sides
have quietly ignored the offer. However, Israeli First
Secretary Bar-li Sa'ar told us the GOI appreciates Turkey's

SIPDIS
role in setting up this meeting; she praised Turkey's
"discrete, trustworthy" management of the logistics.

Media Reaction
--------------


5. (U) Most Turkish dailies gave prominent coverage to the
meeting, highlighting Turkey,s role as a facilitator. Press
accounts of exactly how Prime Minister Erdogan contributed to
the process, however, diverged widely. Popular daily
"Milliyet" reported that Pakistani PM Musharraf had called
Erdogan recently to seek his assistance in setting up the
meeting in Istanbul. Liberal daily "Radikal," however,
claimed that the meeting was the result of Erdogan,s
"two-year effort" to broker open diplomat contacts between
Israel and Pakistan. "Radikal" describes Erdogan,s role as
that of a "mediator." Notably, the Islamist-oriented,
pro-government "Yeni Safak" failed to mention the meeting on
today,s front page (as was done by all of its major
competitors),instead relegating the meeting to a cursory
two-paragraph summary on page 13.

MFA Out of the Loop
--------------


6. (C) According to Bar-li Sa'ar, MFA officials played no
role in setting up the meeting and were notably not even
informed it was happening. Bar-li Sa'ar told us U/S Tuygan,
the number two MFA official after FM Gul, was clearly not
aware of the impending meeting when Israeli Ambassador Avivi,
on his way to the meeting, spotted Tuygan August 31 in the
Istanbul Airport. When Bar-li Sa'ar called the semi-official
Anatolia News Agency (AA) late on August 31 with a press
release about the meeting, AA refused to print it because,
according to its representative, the MFA denied the meeting
had occurred. Bar-li Sa'ar speculated this reflected the
ongoing rivalry between PM Erdogan and FM Gul. Avivi briefed
the MFA this morning.
MCELDOWNEY