Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA1132
2007-05-11 13:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKISH VIEWS ON OECD ENLARGEMENT

Tags:  ECIN OECD TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0021
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1132 1311313
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111313Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2076
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 5546
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 5378
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2672
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS ANKARA 001132 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

PARIS FOR USOECD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN OECD TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH VIEWS ON OECD ENLARGEMENT

REF: STATE 62464

UNCLAS ANKARA 001132

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

PARIS FOR USOECD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN OECD TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH VIEWS ON OECD ENLARGEMENT

REF: STATE 62464


1. (SBU) Summary: Turkey supports Russian OECD membership
because of Russia's importance to Turkey and because Turkey
believes greater Russian participation in international fora
will make Russia feel more secure. Keeping Cyprus out of the
OECD is their top priority but Turkey is open to considering
other new EU members. MFA officials do not expect Turkey to
be represented at the ministerial level at next week's
meeting because of the intense domestic political activity in
Ankara. End Summary.

--------------
No to Cyprus, Yes to Russia
--------------


2. (SBU) The Department Head responsible for OECD issues
reiterated that Turkey's top priority in the enlargement
debate is to keep Cyprus out of the OECD, although it could
accept other EU-8 candidacies on a case-by-case basis.


3. (SBU) The MFA official complained about the inclusion of a
Cypriot representative at the recent EDRC meeting, even
though the legal advisor agreed with Turkey that non-members
should not participate. She said the OECD should follow its
own rules.


4. (SBU) Aside from joining a consensus in favor of admitting
Israel and Chile, Turkey favors engagement and ultimate
accession for the BRICS. For Turkey, the top of the list is
Russia. She explained why Turkey attaches priority to
Russia's candidacy (despite Russia and Turkey having been
historic enemies). She said Russia is an increasingly
important trade partner for Turkey with whom Turkey has very
good political and economic relations. Moreover, Turkey
believes that by including Russia in more international fora,
such as the OECD and the WTO, Russia will come to feel more
secure in its relations with the international community.


5. (SBU) MFA was not ready to comment on the financing issue.
As a smaller contributor, Turkey is presumably opposed to
changes that would increase its share of the organization's
budget.

--------------
Politics Keeps Minister at Home
--------------


6. (SBU) Although Minister of Finance Kemal Unakitan is
officially still slated to lead the Turkish delegation to the
MCM, MFA was sure he would not go to Paris because of the
current intense political activity in Ankara. MFA Deputy
Under Secretary Selim Kuneralp is expected to lead the
delegation instead.



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

WILSON