FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT KHATAMI AVOIDS NUCLEAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006493 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/22/2021 TAGS: PREL PGOV KNNP MNUC IR TU SUBJECT: FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT KHATAMI AVOIDS NUCLEAR ISSUE IN VISIT TO TURKEY REF: ISTANBUL 2084 Classified by Political Officer David Burger for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami concentrated almost entirely on his dialogue of civilizations project and Turkish-Iranian bilateral relations during his November 13-15 visit to Turkey. Strikingly, Khatami apparently barely addressed the nuclear issue. End Summary. ¶2. (C) After participating in the Alliance of Civilizations conference in Istanbul on November 13-14 (ref),Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami visited Ankara on November ¶15. He called on the President, Speaker of Parliament and Minister of Religious Affairs and gave a widely-covered speech at Middle East Technical University (METU). According to the Turkish MFA Middle East department, Khatami's discussions with Prime Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Gul in Istanbul on the margins of the Alliance of Civilizations conference emphasized bilateral ties and regional stability rather than the nuclear issue. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Koprulu, the MFA advisor attached to the Speaker of Parliament Arinc's office, characterized Khatami's call on Arinc as a courtesy call with a "classic message" of good bilateral relations, the importance of regional stability and concerns about the Middle East and Iraq. Koprulu said Khatami made no reference to Iran's internal situation or the nuclear issue. Koprulu noted that because during his presidency Khatami had always pushed for better relations between Turkey and Iran, he is generally well-liked in Ankara. ¶4. (C) Koprulu, who arrived in Tehran in 1979 on the same day of the American Embassy takeover during one of his first tours and who continues to follow Iran closely, said about the nuclear issue that he is personally pessimistic on the utility of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran. On bilateral relations, he noted that despite growing trade volume, Turkish investors have had problems in Iran in the past. Iran's position as a source and transit point for natural gas and petrol makes Turkey nervous. ¶5. (C) Ministry of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) deputy director Mehmet Gormez told us that Khatami had asked to give a series of conferences in Turkey, including at the Diyanet. The Diyanet declined to do one there, explaining to Khatami that its role was chiefly administrative. Khatami instead led a conference at an Islamic research center in Istanbul, where he talked about democracy and Islam. Gormez said he and many in the audience were "shocked" by Khatami,s emphasis that Shia Islam and democracy are compatible. Khatami also met for 90 minutes with Diyanet Minister Bardakoglu. Khatami reportedly asked many questions about the Diyanet's role in Turkey and in the government. Gormez said he and Bardakoglu saw Khatami as more of a religious scholar, not a political figure. ¶6. (C) Well-known for booing many prominent speakers off the stage, METU students warmly applauded Khatami's speech on November 15. Khatami argued that both Turkey and Iran are grappling with how modernity influences civilizations, particularly within Islam and between Islam and western civilization. According to METU Professor Huseyin Bagci, Khatami recited poetry, acted like a statesman and portrayed a relaxed image. Bagci said Khatami, with his moderate style, dwelled on how democracy needed to have its own characteristics for each country. Bagci said he got the impression that Khatami was trying to improve the battered image of President Ahmedinejad. While Ahmedinejad presented the tough face of Iran, noted Bagci, Khatami -- through his tour of the world that began in the U.S. -- has been positively influencing public opinion. ¶7. (C) Arif Keskin, Middle East Specialist at the Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies (ASAM),asserted that Khatami's visit would have no benefit on official Turkey-Iran relations. Since Ahmedinejad's rise to power, Keskin ANKARA 00006493 002 OF 002 believes, the GOT has become more suspicious of Iran. While a visit by Ahmedinejad would not have been generally supported by the Turkish public, the Turkish public was more welcoming to Khatami. Keskin said that while the Turkish government views Khatami more positively than Ahmedinejad in part because of Khatami's efforts to put bilateral relations on "solid ground," the GOT is also aware of Khatami's limited power within Iran. His lack of power became evident, Keskin noted, even during his presidency when he signed two large tenders by Turkcell and TAV that were later cancelled. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON