AMBASSADOR'S TOUR D'HORIZON WITH MFA; PRESSES GOT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001457 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2017 TAGS: PREL ECON MOPS PARM MARR KNNP ETRD TSPL EU NATO, IR, SY, TU SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S TOUR D'HORIZON WITH MFA; PRESSES GOT ON UNSC REPORTING REF: ANKARA 1417 Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador pressed MFA U/S Apakan in a June 8 meeting on Iran issues, including implementation of UNSC Resolutions 1737 and 1747 and on reporting the May 25 train incident involving Iranian arms bound for Syria to the Security Council. On the train incident, Apakan noted Deputy U/S Sinirlioglu is traveling to Tehran this weekend for political consultations, after which the GOT hopes to have additional information related to the incident that will bear on any report to the UNSC. Ambassador noted U.S. efforts in Brussels to support Turkey's position related to its concerns on ESDP and also pressed for responses on draft bilateral agreements that await GOT action, including a bilateral Science and Technology Agreement and the Container Security Initiative. END SUMMARY REPORTING ON IRAN SANCTIONS/TRAIN INCIDENT -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador reiterated points to MFA Under Secretary (D-equivalent) Ertugrul Apakan he made June 5 to Deputy Under Secretary Sinirlioglu regarding the need for Turkey to SIPDIS implement UNSC resolutions 1737 and 1747 as well as to report to the Security Council details of the May 25 incident involving Iranian-origin arms discovered on a Syria-bound train in eastern Turkey. U/S Apakan said the GOT is very irritated with Iran over the incident and noted he had convoked the Iranian Charge May 28 to issue a strongly-worded protest and to demand an official explanation. Turkey still awaits an explanation from Tehran. Apakan said Deputy U/S for Middle East and South Asia Feridun Sinirlioglu is traveling to Tehran June 9-10 for political consultations during which he will press the Iranians hard for an explanation. Thereafter, according to Apakan, the GOT will report details of the incident to the Security Council. ¶3. (C) Apakan noted Turkey's decree for implementing UNSCR 1737 awaits one signature before it is approved by the Council of Ministers and issued. He said MFA is currently coordinating with other GOT ministries on the implementation decree for UNSCR 1747 and, expecting no difficulties, hopes to have that issued soon as well. NATO/ESDP -------------- ¶4. (C) Ambassador informed Apakan that the U.S. had not attended an informal NAC-PSC meeting on Afghanistan June 7 in Brussels as a show of support for Turkey's position on ESDP. However, he emphasized, if the focus of Turkey's demands becomes the exclusion of Cyprus from joint EU-NATO operations, especially in Kosovo, Washington's attitude may change, including in light of planned Cypriot and Maltese contributions to the Kosovo mission. Apakan expressed Turkey's thanks for U.S. support on this issue, as well as the hope that NATO SYG de Hoop Scheffer will come to Ankara with an open mind regarding Turkish concerns when he visits June 11-12. He did note, however, that the presence of Cyprus in any peacekeeping mission involving Turkey will be a big problem. BILATERAL AGREEMENTS -------------- ¶5. (C) Ambassador noted that we await responses from the GOT on two bilateral agreements, one on Science and Technology, the other on the Container Security Initiative (CSI). He urged GOT action on both so that our bilateral cooperation in both areas can move forward. Apakan agreed that the GOT needs to provide responses as soon as possible. On the Science and Technology agreement, Apakan said the view in MFA was that the draft text is too long and complex. They will be proposing a streamlined, simplified text. ANKARA 00001457 002 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) Apakan also thanked the Ambassador for the embassy's work and cooperation on the op-ed piece by A/S Sullivan on the Economic Partnership Commission which will be placed in Turkish press next week. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON