DEMARCHE ON REPORTING IRAN TO UNSC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000256 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2026 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PINS IR TU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON REPORTING IRAN TO UNSC REF: A. STATE 6236 ¶B. ANKARA 7098 ¶C. ANKARA 6546 ¶D. ANKARA 0016 Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) We delivered ref a demarche to Turkish MFA First Secretary Guven Begec on 20 January. Begec told us that SIPDIS Turkey shares USG concerns regarding the Iranian nuclear program and believes that Iranian nuclear weapons would pose a direct threat to Turkey's national security. He also stated that Turkish leaders are delivering strong messages to Iranian leaders in private meetings, including during Iranian FM Mottaki's recent visit to Ankara (REF B). ¶2. (C) We pushed back hard, stressing the importance of the GOT delivering strong messages in public as well as in private. We also noted the inconsistencies in recent Turkish public statements regarding Iran. Begec asserted that Turkey was delivering strong public messages, but we noted several recent counterexamples (e.g., the MFA's weak reaction to Iranian president Ahmadi-Nejad's initial statement calling for the destruction of Israel (Ref C)). Begec responded that the Iranian nuclear weapons issue was a matter of national security and the institutions of the state would be making the decisions on this issue. He said it would not be a "party" decision (Comment: A reference to the governing pro-Islam Justice and Development Party (AKP). End comment.) ¶3. (C) Comment: Begec's comments reflect the general concern within institutions of the state that follow this issue closely. Unfortunately, those not as close to the issue do not seem to have the same sense of urgency. Rectifying this was a major rationale for our previous request that the USG send a high-level interagency team of experts to brief Turkish leaders on the Iranian nuclear issue (REF D). End Comment. WILSON