TURKEY HOLDS FIRM AGAINST CYPRUS IN THE GLOBAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001005 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR ACTING U/S ROOD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER KNNP KGIC PARM TU CY SUBJECT: TURKEY HOLDS FIRM AGAINST CYPRUS IN THE GLOBAL INITIATIVE REF: A. STATE 50656 ¶B. ANKARA 954 ¶C. ROOD-WILSON TELCON ¶D. WALDEN-SIEBENTRITT/RICH E-MAIL ¶E. ANKARA 860 Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reason 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: MFA Deputy U/S Rafet Akgunay told the Ambassador on April 27 that Turkey is re-evaluating its participation in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GI) now that Cyprus is joining. While the issue is still under discussion at the highest levels of the MFA, Akgunay said it was clear Turkey will not be able to participate in the GI at the level expected by the U.S. Ambassador emphasized that the U.S. has consulted with the Russian co-chairs and that misuse of the forum by the GOC will not be permitted or tolerated. Akgunay called for "creative thinking" and suggested that U.S. support to Turkey's efforts to play a greater role in European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) (ref e) might help Turkey work through its objections to Cyprus' GI membership. MFA DDG Ahmet Gun told us separately that Turkey may decide not to send a delegate to the June GI meeting in Astana and to cancel the 2008 intelligence sharing meeting it has proposed for the GI workplan. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Akgunay reiterated Turkey's position against Cyprus' joining the GI in strong terms, highlighting language in the February 12 Co-Chairs' Statement in Ankara against "importing political problems into the process." Turkey, he said, had been very clear in its concerns about Cyprus even before the first meeting of the GI in Morocco in October 2006, and had discussed the issue with both co-chairs in Ankara in February, he claimed. ¶3. (C) The MFA is not ready to see Cyprus on the list of GI member states and will therefore reconsider Turkey's full participation in the Initiative. While the issue is still under discussion at the highest levels of the MFA, the GOT is taking it very seriously, Akgunay said. It is clear that Turkey will not be able to participate in the GI at the level expected by the U.S. in the future. ¶4. (C) Drawing from points provided ref d, Ambassador told Akgunay that the U.S. understood the political sensitivities of this decision, but stressed the value to the GI of Turkey's leadership, particularly its successful hosting of the second meeting in Ankara, and the importance to the GI of Turkey's strategic location. The issue of nuclear terrorism is serious and U.S. wishes to see the maximum number of participants in the GI. Ambassador pointed to Turkey and Cyprus participation in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Australia Group, and a number of other major international non-proliferation conventions. He reconfirmed that Cyprus had presented its commitment to the GI Statement of Principles to the U.S. and expressed the U.S. desire for Turkey's continued full participation. ¶5. (C) Ambassador emphasized the U.S. view that the GI not be abused for political purposes by the GOC or any other country. He informed Akgunay that the U.S. has consulted with the Russian co-chairs and that misuse of the forum will not be permitted or tolerated. ¶6. (C) Akgunay discounted the assurance, noting that he had begun his career exactly 30 years earlier as a Cyprus Desk Officer and that similar assurances had not been upheld over the years. He said that some "creative thinking" might help the situation, and hinted that U.S. support to Turkey's efforts to be included in ESDP decisionmaking could be helpful in encouraging some GOT flexibility on GI. ¶7. (C) MFA Arms Control DDG Ahmet Muhtar Gun told us separately that he was "deeply disappointed" at Cyprus' joining the GI and warned of serious consequences. While confirming that the MFA is still evaluating its future participation in the GI, he warned that Turkey may decide not to participate in the June GI meeting in Astana and may cancel the intelligence sharing event the GOT had offered to host in 2008 as part of the GI workplan. At the same time, Gun reiterated Turkey's commitment to fulfill its international responsibilities to combat terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation ¶8. (C) Comment: Turkey considers itself a founding member of the GI and feels almost betrayed by the decision to invite Cyprus to join the Initiative, or at the very least, without what it feels was adequate consultation. Turkish struggles with Cyprus in other fora, including the EU, are clearly a factor. We should accept Akgunay's invitation to think creativity about ways to encourage Turkey to maintain its momentum. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON