CODEL BLUNT MEETS PM ERDOGAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003351

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/31/2021
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP TU
SUBJECT: CODEL BLUNT MEETS PM ERDOGAN

REF: ANKARA 3257

Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reaons 1.4 b and d.


1. (C) Summary. A May 30 meeting between Codel Blunt and
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stretched well
over an hour, despte the thirty minutes Erdogan's staff had
alltted during an especially busy day. The PM energetically
laid out Turkey's views on Congressional consideration of an
Armenian genocide resolution, regional developments, and the
importance of U.S. action against the PKK in Iraq. Majority
Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
expressed appreciation for Erdogan's approach to the genocide
issue, urged Turkey's continued solidarity with an
international approach on the Iran nuclear issue, and voiced
concern about Foreign Minister Gul's February meeting with
HAMAS officials. The Codel left saying they had enjoyed a
positive and frank exchange, impressed by Erdogan's
personality and his clear, direct exposition of Turkish
policies. End summary.

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Worried About Armenian Genocide Resolution
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2. (C) Erdogan opened the meeting by expressing "extreme
concern" about the impact that passage of an Armenian
genocide resolution by the U.S. Congress would have on
U.S.-Turkish relations. He stressed that Turkey was trying
to play an open and constructive role by proposing that a
commission of historians and experts chosen by both countries
examine the 1915 events, but that Armenian President
Kocharian had not replied to his proposal. Turkey's goal,
Erdogan said, is to make friends, not enemies, of its
neighbors, and resolutions passed by legislatures of third
countries do not contribute to a solution. He said it is the
duty of politicians to eliminate such "vehicles of hate and
animosity" and to work for peace and understanding. In the
case of the United States, such a resolution would have an
extremely negative impact, and Erdogan said he expected the
United States to continue its "principled attitude." Taking
the lead replying for the Codel, Representative Hoyer noted
his long experience with the issue and said he found
Erdogan's proposal to form an experts group to be a
reasonable and positive one. He said he would discuss the
proposal with his contacts in the Armenian-American community.

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Erdogan Claims Shared Objectives in Iran and Iraq
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3. (C) On Iran, both Rep. Blunt and Rep. Hoyer noted the
Secretary's work for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear

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issue and the importance of Turkey being part of a broad
coalition of nations aiming toward that end. Erdogan said he
agreed, and had urged Ahmadinejad to accept such a solution
including in a trilateral meeting with Pakistani Prime
Minister Aziz during the May "D-8" meeting in Bali.


4. (C) Erdogan accepted Blunt's appreciation for Turkey's
logistical support in Iraq, noting that Turkey hoped to
increase such support but that the current single border
crossing was not adequate. Highlighting the murder of two
brothers of VP Hashimi, he said he was very worried about the
impact of violence that inhibited Sunni political
participation. He said the Constitution needed to be changed
so that no one group could dominate and to give Kirkuk a
"special status for all Iraqis." Calling the presence of the
PKK in northern Iraq disturbing, Erdogan said the Turkish
public's perception of U.S. inaction against the PKK in Iraq
was costly to him politically as the head of the "only"
political party defending the U.S.-Turkey relationship.

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Codel Troubled by HAMAS Reception
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5. (C) Rep. Hoyer raised Foreign Minister Gul's meeting
with HAMAS official Khaled Mishal in Ankara in February,
saying it undercut U.S. and U.N. efforts to convince HAMAS to
renounce terror, accept Israel, and continue to work for
peace. Erdogan provided the standard Turkish explanation of
the meeting, noting that it was between political parties,
not governments, that he, as Prime Minister, did not meet
Mishal, and that Gul had used the meeting to pass on a clear
message that HAMAS needed to lay down weapons, accept the

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roadmap, and work for a two-state solution. He hoped that
the responsibilities of power would change HAMAS, noting that
Yasir Arafat was once called a terrorist but received the
Nobel Peace Prize. He said he had called Ehud Olmert to
congratulate him when he became Prime Minister, but also did
so for Haniye. The goal in the Middle East, he said, was "to
seek a solution within democracy." He said this was the same
message he gave Israeli FM Livni when she visited Ankara the
day before Codel Blunt.

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Erdogan Frustrated by EU Unresponsiveness on Cyprus
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6. (C) Erdogan raised Cyprus and his frustration that
Turkey's efforts to ensure a northern Cypriot "yes" to the
Annan plan referendum had not been reciprocated by the EU,
which admitted the Republic of Cyprus to the Union just days
after its rejection of the plan. Adding insult to injury,
the EU demanded that Turkey sign the "additional protocol"
opening its ports. Turkey had done so, but Erdogan said he
had no intention of submitting the protocol for parliamentary
ratification until Europe took measures to ease the isolation
of northern Cyprus. Noting that the President had urged him
to work for the "yes" to the Annan Plan, he asked for U.S.
support with the EU, "on behalf of the victimized people" of
northern Cyprus.

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Comment
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7. (C) The meeting did not break new ground, but was
notable for the energy of Erdogan's presentation and his
blunt description of Turkish policies. Summing up the
meeting, Rep. Blunt expressed his appreciation for Erdogan's
forthright approach. Blunt said that Gul's advice to HAMAS
to reject terrorism was the right advice and said the U.S.
will be just as aggressive in calling on the PKK to reject
terrorism as it is in calling on HAMAS to do so.


8. (C) Codel Blunt did not clear this message. Other Codel
members were Congressmen James Clyburn (D-SC) Sam Graves
(R-MO),and Ronney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ).

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

WILSON