ISRAELI AMBASSADOR DESCRIBES TURCO-ISRAELI

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007675 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2020 TAGS: PREL TU IR IS SUBJECT: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR DESCRIBES TURCO-ISRAELI DISCUSSION ABOUT IRAN Classified By: Ambassador Ross L. Wilson, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Israeli ambassador to Turkey advised us December 30 that Jerusalem has invited Turkish FM Gul to visit Israel January 5. The Turkish government, which requested this visit some time ago, should advise shortly on whether the date is acceptable. The purpose of the visit will be to sign documents with Israel and appropriate Palestinians regarding the Erez Free Trade Zone in Gaza. According to the Israeli ambassador, this signing may be a trilateral event or could be done in stages -- with the Israelis in Jerusalem and later with the Palestinians in Ramallah. In any case, Israel understood that Gul would visit Ramallah for meetings with the Palestinian Authority leadership. On the Israeli side, Gul is being offered meetings with PM Sharon, as well as the foreign and defense ministers and probably some event involving the business community. ¶2. (C) The Israeli ambassador also commented on his government,s recent work with Turkey regarding Iran. One of Israel,s top Iran experts visited here in the fall to brief Turkish government officials (in the MFA, the military, and in other areas) on the status of Iran,s nuclear program, its ballistic missile program, and support of Hizbollah and other terrorist activity. Iran was also a major theme during the December 22-23 visit here of Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz. Gen. Halutz also offered Israeli intelligence regarding the PKK. According to the Israeli ambassador, Turkish officials did not particularly argue with the Israelis on the dangers, including to Turkey, of Iran,s nuclear, ballistic and terrorist/destabilization support efforts, but claimed that Iran,s alleged cooperation on the Kurdish PKK terrorist threat limited what they could, as a practical matter, do vis--vis Iran. To continue the discussion, the Israeli embassy here is arranging another visit by Israel-based officials to discuss Iran. WILSON