BREATHING LIFE INTO THE U.S.-TURKEY STRATEGIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004249

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2021
TAGS: PREL US TU
SUBJECT: BREATHING LIFE INTO THE U.S.-TURKEY STRATEGIC
DIALOGUE

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


1. (SBU) Secretary Rice and Turkish FM Gul have put their
imprimatur on the Structured Strategic Dialogue. We must now
implement it. Over the next six months, we should focus on
some of the most pressing bilateral and regional issues
through continued high-level dialogue, consultations and
stepped-up exchanges.


2. (C) Iraq: Hard work by this Mission and Washington to
consult and cooperate on Iraq have transformed a big problem
in US-Turkish relations into a positive. Turkey is closely
engaged in efforts to democratize and stabilize Iraq. It is
working to open a consulate in Mosul. Iraqi FM Zebari just
visited Turkey; we continue to encourage PM Erdogan and FM
Gul to reciprocate with travel to Baghdad. The last
bilateral experts talks took place in Washington in March.
We urge that Ambassador Satterfield include Ankara on his
first trip to the region after taking up his new position in
Washington. We would also welcome consultations here by NSC
Senior Director Meghan O'Sullivan. If neither is possible
soon, we will encourage Turkey's Iraq Coordinator, Oguz
Celikkol, to consider a visit to Washington by early fall.


3. (C) Iran: One reason the GOT is firmly on side with us
in our diplomatic efforts regarding the Iran nuclear issue is
that we have consulted regularly with it, thanks in
particular to IAEA rep Greg Schulte and NEA DAS Gordon Gray,
as well as the Secretary's many conversations with FM Gul in
recent weeks. As the diplomacy proceeds in August and into
the early fall, a visit by U/S Burns would match the
consultations held here by other P5-plus-1 Political
Directors. It would help ensure continued tight coordination
on the issue. We know the competition for U/S Burns' time.
Other senior Administration officials consulting here can
accomplish much the same purpose. We could also arrange an
early visit to Washington by D U/S Akgunay.


4. (C) MEPP: The Turks have sometimes been helpful on the
Middle East issues, but this is an area where distrust,
misunderstandings and disingenuousness have led to problems.
Recognizing that the current crisis means decision makers'
time is very limited, we would suggest an invitation for MFA
A/S equivalent Ahmet Uzumcu to visit Washington in August.
Uzumcu is smart and knows the Middle East well.
Circumstances permitting, including Ankara in any additional
travel to the region by A/S Welch and NSC Senior Director
Abrams itinerary would be positive.


5. (C) Policy Planning: Our strategic vision document
specifically calls for policy planning talks. We are doing
well in terms of tactical cooperation with Turkey on various
issues, but could benefit by engagement on a more strategic
level. We should move soon to schedule policy planning talks
led by S/P Director Stephen Krasner before the end of the
year. We should work to flesh out an agenda in advance with
the Turks to ensure these talks are productive and focused.


6. (C) NATO: The North Atlantic Alliance remains our
primary and most active security tie with Turkey. While our
delegations are in frequent contact in Brussels, a high level
contact here could help prevent Turkish mischief in the
run-up to Vilnius. We would particularly like to see USNATO
Ambassador Nuland here.


7. (C) EU: Consultations on Turkey's EU accession process
could be helpful. One way to pursue this would be to arrange
talks between appropriate Turkish officials here and USEU
Ambassador Gray or DCM McKinley either in Brussels or in
Ankara. Such talks could give our US team that works with
the EU additional texture on Turkey's perspective, its
progress on the various political, economic, Cyprus-related
and other issues, and the problems. Personal connections
could also reinforce the connections with Turkey that we in
Ankara and our colleagues in Washington have.


8. (C) Economic Cooperation Partnership Council: Political
and foreign policy issues are at the heart of our interests
here, but economic, trade and investment ties are important,
too. This is especially so in light of the financial
turbulence that has affected Turkey recently. It is time to
breathe life into the ECPC by scheduling a meeting led by U/S
Shiner -- or by A/S Sullivan if she is not available this
fall. Turks reacted well to the idea of an early ECPC when
A/S Sullivan raised it during talks here July 14. They
agreed with Sullivan's idea of including strong
representation from the economic ministries. We should
consult further on the agenda. The Turks suggested trade,
investment, collaboration regarding third markets, and

science and technology. Either as part of the ECPC or
separately, we believe it would be useful to have a dialogue
on energy issues.


9. (C) High Level Defence Group (HLDG): At the time of the
first HLDG in many years last October, both sides pledged to
meet again at that level more frequently. Other commitments
have conspired to make that impossible. We are working now
to schedule the next session; it may be in November. The
HLDG could very helpfully be preceeded by a visit from DOD
A/S Flory to set the stage, if possible. Army COS Gen.
Schoonover plans to visit in late October, and we hope this
will help to bolster flagging Army-to-Army ties, especially
if it can be supplemented by a visit here of USAREUR General
McKiernan, who we believe has not visited Turkey in his
current position. Turkish D/CHOD Kosaner has been invited to
Stuttgart by EUCOM General Ward. We would also welcome a
visit this fall by SACEUR General Jones, whose talks in
Ankara in September 2005 provided very helpful tonic to
US-Turkish mil-mil relations. We would also welcome the new
SACEUR after the changeover, perhaps in early 2007.


10. (SBU) Expanded exchange programs offer another, more
personalized avenue to deepening ties and understanding. We
are anxious to pursue the following two angles:

-- Parliamentary Exchanges: Another important item on our
bilateral agenda is an expansion of parliamentary exchanges.
This would have the dual advantage of educating Turkish
members of parliament in how Congress works -- election-time
visits, including to districts, would be particularly
enlightening for them -- and allow Members of Congress to
learn more about an important ally. We propose that
Washington consider establishing and funding a parliamentary
exchange project along the lines of the Atlantik-Bruecke,
which has been so valuable in cementing German-American
parliamentary ties. We earlier proposed this to U/S Hughes
and believe it is a project that would more than pay for
itself in terms of increased understanding and dialogue. As
a Mission, we stand prepared to provide any support required.

-- Expanded High School Exchanges: With public opinion in
Turkey downbeat on America, expanding high school exchanges
through existing mechanisms would open a window on America to
Turkish youth. Some of us are former exchange students, and
we strongly believe that the value of such programs --
including their multiplier effects when students return and
educate their friends and family about what America is really
about -- is incalculable. As with the parliamentary
exchanges, we have requested a substantial funding increase
from R.

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

WILSON