Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ANKARA5843
2005-09-30 15:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

APNSA HADLEY'S MEETING WITH TURKISH MFA U/S TUYGAN

Tags:  PREL PTER MNUC TU US EU IR IZ SY IS PA 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005843 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2025
TAGS: PREL PTER MNUC TU US EU IR IZ SY IS PA
SUBJECT: APNSA HADLEY'S MEETING WITH TURKISH MFA U/S TUYGAN

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005843

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2025
TAGS: PREL PTER MNUC TU US EU IR IZ SY IS PA
SUBJECT: APNSA HADLEY'S MEETING WITH TURKISH MFA U/S TUYGAN

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. U/S Tuygan and APNSA Hadley both stressed
the importance of U.S.-Turkish strategic partnership and
agreed on the need for a bilateral strategic dialogue
concerning the full range of cooperation on regional issues.
Tuygan, however, also implied that Turkey feels overburdened
by EU demands for concessions and had &reached its limits.8

End summary.


2. (C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ali
Tuygan and APNSA Stephen Hadley met in Ankara on September

24. Tuygan said that the U.S. and Turkey have a long
standing relationship and alliance based on cooperation and
shared security concerns. Turkey and the U.S., asserted
Tuygan, share a common vision regarding regional issues.
Hadley stressed the importance of intensifying, revising,
and regularizing the defense and foreign ministry structures
for greater U.S.-Turkish dialogue addressing a host of
strategic issues so that the two countries can develop a
common understanding. Hadley said his main message is that
the USG and the GOT need to have a strategic conversation
on Turkey,s dual vocation as a full European partner and
Turkey,s role in a region that represents policy priorities
for President Bush: advance of the democracy agenda and
combating international terrorism.

--------------
IRAQ AND PKK
--------------


3. (C) Tuygan stated that the U.S. and Turkey shared the
same goal of wanting to see the establishment of a unified
and democratic Iraq. He stated that he knew how important
the Iraqi issue was to the USG, but he also boldly asserted
that the issue was one hundred times more important to
Turkey. He hypothesized that the uncertainty of Iraq,s
future had introduced an element of uneasiness into the
U.S.-Turkish relationship. U.S.-Turkish dialogue helped to
remove some of this uneasiness, claimed Tuygan, but the
only real cure for the problem would be an Iraqi "final

settlement."


4. (C) Tuygan noted the importance of the PKK issue and
reminded the U.S. side that Turkish people were dying, but
he was quick to add that he had been a strong advocate of
looking at the broader U.S.-Turkish strategic relationship
and not simply focusing on the PKK. Tuygan segued onto the
Kirkuk issue and stressed that the movement of peoples and
attempts at demographic change should be "rolled back".
Tuygan said that Iraqi elections should be "conducted in a
way that does not create divisions."


5. (C) APNSA Hadley stressed that Iraq is a very
challenging problem and that American soldiers are dying
every day in Iraq. The U.S., moreover, understands Turkey,s
concerns regarding the Turkmen, Kurds, and status of
Kirkuk. The terrorists in Iraq are trying to create a base
of operations in Iraq so they can export their terror to
other
countries in the region, and the U.S. homeland. The U.S.
believes the new Iraqi constitution will be accepted by the
people in a referendum and the USG believes many Iraqi Sunnis
are committed to rejoining the political process. The U.S.
wants to see Iraq establish a broad, representative, and
unified government.

--------------
IRAN
--------------


6. (C) Tuygan asserted that Turkey relations with Iran are
very important. Turkey has shared a peaceful border with
Iran for over 200 years. Tehran tried for a while to
export its revolution, but it is no longer trying to
undermine the Turkish regime. The two countries have an
important trade relationship (Tuygan stressed this three
times) and an important energy relationship. Iran,
moreover, is Turkey,s gateway to Central Asia.


7. (C) Tuygan stated that Turkey is trying to encourage
moderation in Iran. Tuygan stated that "we should take
more effort to analyze the (domestic) development in Iran"
and implied that the recent electoral outcomes may not have
been the result of hardliner strength, but of the alienation
of the reformists. Tuygan asserted that "we should take
care to preserve (the) momentum for change in a positive
direction." Turkey, he said, recognizes Iran,s right to a
peaceful civil nuclear program with transparency and
cooperation
with the IAEA. However, if Iran -- or any country in the
region -- acquired nuclear weapons, then it would be
problematic for Turkey. Tuygan also stressed that Iran,s
existence in the region is a "reality" with which Turkey
has to deal.

8. (C) Hadley stressed that he U.S. does not see reformist
or moderate elements within the Iranian regime: Iran is an
anti-democratic regime that sponsors terror. The USG is
serious about the dangers of a nuclear armed Iran. The USG
is not opposed to a civil nuclear program, but the real
problem is reprocessing and enrichment. He reminded Tuygan
that Iran pursued a secret nuclear enrichment and
reprocessing
program for fifteen years.

--------------
EUROPEAN UNION
--------------


9. (C) Tuygan said that Turkey is going through a period of
immense disappointment regarding the European Union and the
counter declaration statement. Turkey is reminding the EU
that they made a strategic decision to start membership
negotiations on October 3 and Turkey wants the talks to get
a "decent and fair" start. Start of talks is important to
convey a message during this time of talk about Muslim
terrorism in the West. He added that starting talks will be
a
concrete message aimed at preventing a clash of cultures.
Turkey hopes that the negotiation framework remains intact,
despite the tone and content of the counter declaration.
Tuygan asserted that Turkey could handle the EU acquis,
but they could not handle the EU acquis and other EU
demands on issues sensitive to Turkey (e.g. Cyprus
and Armenia) at the same time. The EU is making too many
demands for concessions ) Turkey is tired of being presented
with a shopping list and has reached its limit. He also
thanked the U.S. for its continued diplomatic support in
favor of Turkey,s EU candidacy.


10. (C) Hadley told Tuygan that the U.S.,s message on
Turkey-E.U. relations is that Turkey should "stay with
it." The Europeans understand Turkey,s redlines and cooler
heads will prevail in Europe. Europe is going through a
period of weakness: the EU Constitution failed, Germany is
going to have a weak coalition government, and France is in
political turmoil.

-------------- --------------
ISRAEL-PALESTINE, SYRIA, CENTRAL ASIA, AND PROLIFERATION
-------------- --------------


11. (C) Tuygan said that Turkey supports democratization
and reform in Central Asia and Turkey hopes to be more
active in pursuing this agenda, but they do not want to
encourage chaos in the region. Tuygan also claimed that
Turkey has an ongoing dialogue with Damascus and the GOT is
trying to encourage the SARG to "do better." Tuygan
recalled that Ankara had successfully pressured Syria to
oust former PKK leader Ocalan several years ago by
establishing a security mechanism with Damascus. Tuygan
opined that this "methodology" was something the USG could
apply towards Syria.


12. (C) Hadley praised the constructive role Turkey has
played in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. He noted that
Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has taken a huge positive step with
the Gaza pullout, despite lots of public pressure against
him. Palestinian leader Abu Abbas must now seize his
moment, bring a new generation of leadership into the
Palestian Authority, and take control of the security
situation. Abbas must be encouraged, supported, and
pressured to make sure that he seizes this leadership
opportunity.


13. (C) Hadley strongly emphasized the importance of
upcoming talks between Undersecretary for Arms Control and
International Security Robert Joseph and the GOT regarding
the A.Q. Khan network. Turkey has been undertaking an
investigation into the links between Turkish corporations
and the A.Q. Khan network. Hadley stated that the USG
believes this network has been shut down, but we cannot be
sure. Hadley asserted that it is very important that
Turkey be fully forthcoming with the U.S. regarding this
network.
MCELDOWNEY