TURKISH MFA RESPONDS TO BOSNIA RELATED DEMARCHE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003686 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV BK SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA RESPONDS TO BOSNIA RELATED DEMARCHE REF: SECSTATE 99444 Classified By: Acting PolCouns Charles O. Blaha, reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (C) We delivered reftel talking points to Hasan Asan, Head of the Turkish MFA's Balkans and Western Europe Department, and First Secretary and Bosnia Desk Officer Kazim Cavusoglu. Asan agreed with U.S. opposition to calls within the Republikla Srpska for an independence referendum and agreed with the USG view that the ITA Impasse must be resolved. ¶2. (C) Asan expressed a different view, however, regarding OHR phase-out and the Bonn Powers. Turkish officials in Bosnia have reported to him about local fears that the suspension of the Bonn Powers may lead to a rise in radical politics and Turkey wants to take local concerns into consideration. Asan, however, was quick to emphasize that an international consensus should be reached on this issue. ¶3. (C) Asan asked what the U.S. will do about Kosovo now that Montenegran independence has sent "shockwaves" through the region, which he characterized as a "hot zone". We replied by stressing the importance of U.S.-Turkish cooperation in the Balkan region and elsewhere. ¶4. (SBU) Asan will fly to Sarajevo on June 22 to attend the PIC Steering Board meeting. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON