Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA2665
2006-05-11 14:20:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

CODEL PENCE'S MAY 8 DISCUSSION WITH TURKISH

Tags:  PREL PGOV OVIP TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
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P 111420Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5527
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 7186
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 1227
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
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RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002665 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP TU
SUBJECT: CODEL PENCE'S MAY 8 DISCUSSION WITH TURKISH
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL


Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002665

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP TU
SUBJECT: CODEL PENCE'S MAY 8 DISCUSSION WITH TURKISH
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL


Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with FM Gul, a congressional
delegation led by Representative Mike Pence (R-IN) pledged
congressional support for Turkey's EU accession process and
appreciation of Turkey's efforts to support the
democratization process in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle
East. Congressman Pence conveyed a message from Ambassador
Khalilzad relating his exchange with the Iraqi Kurdish
leadership on the PKK. He underscored broad congressional
support for Representative Lantos' condemnation of the Hamas
visit to Turkey. The delegation urged Turkey to come to
terms with Armenia on the genocide issue; provide restitution
for property expropriated from minority religious
communities; and re-open the Halki Seminary. Gul said Turkey
is poised to do more in Iraq. He defended Turkey's position
on the genocide issue but looked forward to establishment of
a joint commission mechanism on this and other issues. Gul
said the GOT is sending the right messages to Hamas and Iran,
and he expects a new law on foundations to solve some
religious property issues. END SUMMARY.

STAY THE COURSE IN IRAQ
--------------


2. (C) Gul warned that -- despite the December elections and
the designation of a Prime Minister -- sectarian divisions in
Iraq are growing, with each side consolidating its position.
He welcomed the prospect of a PM al Maliki visit to Turkey
and urged a concerted effort to get all Iraqis to work
together to develop the central government. Gul warned that
Iran's influence is deepening in Iraq. Two of Iran's biggest
enemies -- Saddam and the Taliban -- have been eliminated,
freeing Iran to create problems in Iraq. He characterized
the continued Kurdish consolidation of control in Kirkuk as
problematic and recommended that the city be granted a
special status. Iraq "will keep us both busy for a long
time," Gul said. He called on the US not to give up until
there is a stable, democratic Iraq.


3. (C) Congressman Pence noted the delegation's May 7 visit
to Iraq. Ambassador Khalilzad had asked him to relay the

message that he (Khalilzad) had recently urged the Iraqi
Kurdish leadership to crack down on PKK activities, and that
the Kurds, in response, had inquired into the possibility of
amnesty for those PKK members who were not involved in
violence. Deflecting the amnesty point, Gul outlined
Turkey's support for 500,000 Iraqi Kurdish refugees following
the chemical weapons attack in Halabja; its provision of
Incirlik Air Base for Operation Provide Comfort: and past GOT
support for Jalal Talabani and Masoud Barzani. He noted
Turkey's provision of energy to northern Iraq and said a
revised energy law should better facilitate energy sharing.

A THREAT FROM IRAN IS A THREAT TO TURKEY
--------------


4. (C) Gul reiterated the familiar refrain that Turkey is
geographically closer to Iran than the US and that a threat
from Iran is a threat to Turkey. Turkey does not want WMDs
on its Iranian border. Iran's insistence that its nuclear
program is solely for peaceful purposes is not convincing,
he said. The country has enough energy sources. Its
enemies, the Taliban and Saddam, have been defeated. Gul
said he would tell Iranian National Security Advisor and
chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani during a meeting later
that day that Iran must prove itself. He added that "no one
wants war" and stressed the need for diplomacy. In Gul's
view, Turkey is already contributing to a democratic solution
in Iran by exposing tourists from that country and others in
the Middle East to the freedoms that men and women alike have
in a secular, democratic, majority-Muslim country.

HAMAS GOT OUR MESSAGE
--------------


5. (C) Pence said many in Congress share the views expressed
in Representative Lantos' February letter to the GOT
condemning the Hamas visit. Gul said there are two
alternatives for dealing with Hamas:

- Ignore them and allow negative forces to direct their
policies and actions;

ANKARA 00002665 002 OF 002



- Warn them against taking the wrong road. They were elected
democratically and must act democratically. If they do not,
the result will be bad for the Palestinians and bad for peace.


6. (C) Gul denied that Turkey invited Hamas. He had spoken
twice with the Israeli Foreign Minister on the subject. The
latter gave him the "official position against the visit,"
but still wanted to know about it and warned against
negotiating with Hamas. Gul said he told Hamas that it must
both recognize and cooperate with Israel. Hamas responded
that Turkey should "read between the lines" of its statements
to see that it is ready to cooperate. However, it would not
say this directly for tactical reasons. Acknowledging
international criticism of the visit, Gul said the US should
not view the meeting as Turkey's support for a radical group.
He insisted that Hamas did receive the right message. Gul
said he disagreed with much of Congressman Lantos' letter but
does not view it as a barrier to future cooperation, and he
expressed privately his interest in meeting with Lantos.

ARMENIA - WHEN IS IT GENOCIDE?
--------------


7. (SBU) Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) welcomed Turkey's
efforts to establish a joint historical commission with
Armenia to study the 1915 genocide issue and urged Turkey to
come to terms with its past. He noted the emotion attached
to the issue, including among his Armenian constituents. He
opined that perhaps efforts by a third party could facilitate
a resolution of the historical record, and he looked forward
to the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations, trade,
etc. Gul said that what occurred was a tragedy that Turkish
citizens regret, but that it did not constitute a genocide.
There was no decision to exterminate a nation and, during the
turmoil of WWI, there were many peoples, including Turks in
the Balkans, who faced terrible losses too. He noted that up
to l00 Turkish officials had been severely punished for the
excesses that took place during the relocation of Armenians.
Gul said the final definition of what occurred should be left
to the experts. He looked forward to a review of the
archives and welcomed third country participation in that
process.

FURTHERING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
--------------


8. (SBU) Congressman Joseph Pitts (R-PA) raised concern over
Turkey's expropriation of properties from minority religious
communities and urged the re-opening of the Halki Seminary.
Gul responded that Turkey supports religious freedom for
Muslims and non-Muslims alike and said that all groups have
complaints which the government is working to address. Gul
expressed hope that the bill on Foundations currently before
Parliament would address some restitution issues. (Note: The
bill covers restitution of properties expropriated by the
state from religious foundations, with the exception of those
sold to a third party.) Stating that all universities are
covered by the Higher Education Council (YOK),Gul said the
government will work for a resolution of the Halki Seminary
issue that falls within Turkey's constitutional parameters.

ENERGIZING THE SECI TERRORISM TASK FORCE
--------------


9. (U) Pitts welcomed Turkey's role as coordinator for the
Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative (SECI) anti-terrorism
task force. He urged Turkey to take steps to make the task
force operational.


10. (U) The congressional delegation did not have an
opportunity to clear this message.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON