Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA722
2006-02-16 10:29:00
SECRET
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

HAMAS -- TURKS DESCRIBE PLANNED MEETINGS IN ANKARA

Tags:  PREL PTER XF TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000722 

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: DECL: 02/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER XF TU
SUBJECT: HAMAS -- TURKS DESCRIBE PLANNED MEETINGS IN ANKARA

REFS: A. DAVID GREENE EMAIL 2/15/06

B. MATT BRYZA EMAIL 1/16/06

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000722

SIPDIS

E.O.12958: DECL: 02/15/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER XF TU
SUBJECT: HAMAS -- TURKS DESCRIBE PLANNED MEETINGS IN ANKARA

REFS: A. DAVID GREENE EMAIL 2/15/06

B. MATT BRYZA EMAIL 1/16/06


1. (c) Summary: Turkey will host probably two meetings with
Hamas on February 16, according to two senior government
officials. One will be at the Deputy Undersecretary for
Foreign Affairs level and will take place over lunch at a
government guesthouse. A second meeting is likely follow
between unspecified political figures at offices of Turkey,s
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In conversations
early February 16 with Ambassador, these officials stressed
that Turkey will deliver a very tough message and suggested
the decision to receive Hamas followed an appeal by Abu
Mazen. Ambassador expressed dismay at Turkey,s lack of
candor with us on this matter, repeated the themes struck
February 15 with Turkish Ambassador to the US Sensoy by NEA
A/S Welch and EUR DAS Bryza (refs),and urged that Turkey be
unequivocal both directly with Hamas and in describing its
discussions to the media. At about 11:30 Ankara time today,
the Turkish MFA announced that a Hamas delegationm, headed by
Khalid Mishal is here for meetings. End Summary.

Prime Ministry
--------------


2. (c) Early February 16, Ambassador followed up ref
discussions in Washington with PM Erdogan,s foreign policy
advisor Ahmet Davutoglu. The latter said Hamas had made
several requests to talk with Turkey, including because its
leaders &greatly respect8 Erdogan. Turkey had been
reluctant. In a conversation last week with Erdogan, Abu
Mazen appealed for a meeting with Hamas to help put pressure
on it, and Abu Mazen repeated the appeal to the prime
minister on February 15. This led to Turkey,s decision to
receive Hamas, for which Abu Mazen was &grateful,8
Davutoglu maintained, and Turkey will try to use this
opportunity to support Abu Mazen and moderation in the
Palestinian community. Its message will be clear and
consistent with what the US, Israel and the Quartet are
seeking: Hamas must renounce terrorism, recognize the right
of Israel to exist, and respect commitments the PA has made.
Hamas has started the transition from terror toward becoming
a political party. Turkey will talk, as a democratic state,
about what is needed to complete that transition and make

clear that without further transformation, Hamas will not
succeed or be accepted. Turkey concluded it will be better
to influence Hamas rather than push it toward greater
radicalism and into Syrian and Iranian hands.


3. (c) Davutoglu was deliberately vague on the level at which
Turkey would receive Hamas. He said a political meeting
would depend on how the foreign ministry session goes, but
clearly declined to exclude the possibility that this might
be with the prime minister or foreign minister. Any such
meeting would be at AKP offices (not in government
facilities) in recognition of the reality that Hamas is a
political party that just won a democratic election in the
Palestinian territories. There would be no joint press
availability with Hamas; all the meetings here will be closed
to the media, and the government will attempt to downplay the
event publicly. Davutoglu agreed it is likely that Hamas
will speak to the press here itself.

Foreign Ministry
--------------


4. (c) Ambassador also spoke early February 16 with MFA
Undersecetary Ali Tuygan on the matter. Tuygan defended the
abrupt notification we had received about the Hamas meetings
by saying that as soon as the decision to meet was made,
Turkey informed Israel and the United States. He said that
Turkey had not invited Hamas; its leaders themselves decided
to come. The government looked at the broad context of
problems all around Turkey ) Iraq, Iran, Syria and the
Middle East. It felt the responsible thing is to try to act
positively and itself deliver directly to Hamas clear
messages on what it must do to be recognized as legitimate
democratic leaders. Turkey,s message would be that Hamas
must renounce violence, respect Israel,s right to exist and
respect the Road Map, and Turkey would make clear that
without these actions, there will be no way out for Hamas or
the Palestinian people.


5. (c) Tuygan said that Deputy Undersecretary for Bilateral
Affairs Uzumcu, a former Turkish Ambassador to Israel, will
&probably8 be the MFA,s principal with Hamas. He expected
a follow-on meeting with political figures connected with the
prime minister,s office, but did not know the details.


6. (c) With both Davutoglu and Tuygan, Ambassador repeated
A/S Welch,s comments regarding the level at which Hamas is
received and the key messages it must hear. He expressed
dismay that we were abruptly informed about this meeting
after days of public and private denials here and in
Washington. This lack of openness was a setback for the kind
of improved consultation and dialogue that our countries have
been working on for the past 7-8 months. Ambassador also
noted that just as Turkey is extremely sensitive about the
PKK, so Israel and the United States are sensitive about
Hamas. The individuals Turkey would be meeting with are
known terrorists bent on the destruction of Israel. Not even
the PKK wants that for Turkey. Although the analogy might be
unfair and not entirely appropriate, Washington will contrast
the high level at which Hamas is received here with the fit
Turkey had over a meeting that a low level State Department
official had with a visiting Turkish mayor who has expressed
sympathies for the PKK and what it represents. Ambassador
urged that Turkey think very carefully about the messages it
would be sending. At a minimum, it should be unequivocal
with Hamas and be equally so in public. Both Davutoglu and
Tuygan were defensive on the PKK analogy, but took the point.


7. (c) Ambassador debriefed Israeli Ambassador Avivi on these
discussions. Avivi said that FM Gul and FM Livni spoke late
February 15 at Gul,s initiative. Gul advised that Hamas
would be received in a very tough way and that Turkey would
deliver a strict message. Gul insisted that Turkey would be
very clear on terrorism, the right of Israel to exist and the
need to honor existing PA commitments and said the future
will show that Turkey,s effort was constructive.


8. (c) Comment: It is clear that this Hamas meeting was
arranged strictly through prime ministry channels and not the
foreign ministry, which has been left backpedaling.
Ambassador and visiting US IAEA PermRep Schulte will meet
with Davutoglu later today on Iran, and Ambassador will take
advantage of this further to stress Washington,s dismay at
the lack of consultation and the need for extremely clear and
careful public and private statements. End Comment.
WILSON