TURKEY: SCHEDULING VISITS AND SIDESTEPPING POLITICS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003293

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR A/S FRIED, NSC FOR ANSLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2021
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: SCHEDULING VISITS AND SIDESTEPPING POLITICS


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


1. (C) Prime Minister ERDOGAN and Foreign Minister Gul have
expressed their strong interest in visiting Washington in the
coming months. The lack of coordination between their
requests may well indicate behind the scenes friction. The
two are partners, but also rivals. The PM's staff highlights
his interest in being, and being seen by Turks to be, in sync
with the U.S. on Iran and consulting on the formation of the
P-5/EU-3 strategy as the process unfolds. There is also
increasing talk in Turkey of early parliamentary elections
this fall, a process we need to steer well clear of. To
ensure that we stay above the fray of these internal
political machinations, while also advancing our dialogue on
Iran, Iraq and other issues of considerable promise, we
propose the following approach:

-- Secretary Rice issues an invitation to FM Gul to come to
Washington during July or August. This would allow for more
intensive consultations on Iran while also pressing forward
in a concrete way on the Strategic Dialogue we are now
launching.

-- White House staff consider possible dates for an ERDOGAN
meeting with POTUS in the fall. We should convey our
intention to meet with him as soon as possible, perhaps
through a POTUS phone call whose main prpose would be to
reinforce Turkish good behavor on Iran.

The political situation in Turkey is heating up and that
makes our continuig high-level engagement all the more
importan. But we must do so in a way that minimizes the
potential for -- and the profile of -- distorted claims of
favoritism or manipulation.


2. (C) MFA Deputy Secretary Tuygan called Ambassador June 6
to follow-up a discussion Turkish Ambassador Sensoy had with
EUR Assistant Secretary Fried on June 5. Tuygan understood
Fried to suggest the above scenario. Tuygan said he had
discussed the matter further with FM Gul and the Prime
Ministry and that Turkey's priority remains an early visit by
PM Erdogan. While acknowledging this GOT request, we believe
that the appropriate way to proceed is what we've suggested
above. Setting a date now for an ERDOGAN visit in the fall
will help the Turks accept this and help steer our dialogue
in constructive directions -- especially on Iran and Iraq.

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

WILSON