Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA1555
2007-06-18 14:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
SENIOR MFA OFFICIAL LAMENTS MILITARY'S "CONTROL"
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001555
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2027
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER TU IZ IR
SUBJECT: SENIOR MFA OFFICIAL LAMENTS MILITARY'S "CONTROL"
OF FOREIGN POLICY
REF: ANKARA 1244
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001555
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2027
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER TU IZ IR
SUBJECT: SENIOR MFA OFFICIAL LAMENTS MILITARY'S "CONTROL"
OF FOREIGN POLICY
REF: ANKARA 1244
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: A senior MFA official who works on Iraqi
issues (not the same official cited reftel) lamented to us
June 15 that the military is using the PKK issue to direct
both Turkey's Iraq policy and the domestic political
situation. He believes the usual balance between civilian
and military authorities has been ruptured, and he personally
fears that a cross-border operation (CBO)-- including
potentially one that may be designed to hurt Barzani, not
just the PKK -- could be in the offing. End summary.
2. (C) This official asserted that the military is using its
standing as the Turkey's most respected institution to -- as
he termed it -- mislead Turks into believing that the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP) is threatening
traditional Turkish secularism. In his view, the military is
using this, along with PKK terrorism, to fear-monger. Our
contact -- a worldly career diplomat who has told us that he
detests AKP insider and foreign policy advisor Ahmet
Davutoglu, but who also admires FonMin Gul as a rational
thinker and foreign policy manager -- asserts that he has
heard from many journalists that the military's approach is
succeeding and AKP is losing votes in the Anatolian
heartland. In his view the outcome of July 22 elections may
well be a Republican People's Party (CHP) - National Action
Party (MHP) coalition government, which he believes would be
a "disaster for you and for us," especially vis-a-vis Iraq.
3. (C) Our contact opined that only U.S. action against the
PKK in northern Iraq could avert a CBO as well as turn the
tables in favor of AKP and ensure a continuation of a
rational Iraq policy. He added that he could not understand
why Barzani (i.e., the KRG) was so unwilling to help on the
PKK issue, since a CHP-MHP coalition (i.e., a nationalist,
strongly anti-Kurd and anti-U.S. government) can only hurt
his interests.
4. (C) While this represents one person's view, it is
surprising that an MFA official would so baldly state his
concerns to us, though naturally it may also have been
calculated to spur us to action on the PKK. His concern
appeared genuine, and he implied it was shared at many levels
in the Ministry, including at the top. He appeared
particularly vexed at "the state's" inability to deal with
taboos such as full acceptance of Turkey's Kurdish
population. He noted that he had just returned from an
official visit to Iran. Apparently during a tour of a major
museum in Tehran, the Iranian tour guide pointed out
antiquities "from our Kurdistan region." He wondered why
such a phrase was acceptable in an authoritarian state such
as Iran, but not in a democracy like Turkey.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/14/2027
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PTER TU IZ IR
SUBJECT: SENIOR MFA OFFICIAL LAMENTS MILITARY'S "CONTROL"
OF FOREIGN POLICY
REF: ANKARA 1244
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: A senior MFA official who works on Iraqi
issues (not the same official cited reftel) lamented to us
June 15 that the military is using the PKK issue to direct
both Turkey's Iraq policy and the domestic political
situation. He believes the usual balance between civilian
and military authorities has been ruptured, and he personally
fears that a cross-border operation (CBO)-- including
potentially one that may be designed to hurt Barzani, not
just the PKK -- could be in the offing. End summary.
2. (C) This official asserted that the military is using its
standing as the Turkey's most respected institution to -- as
he termed it -- mislead Turks into believing that the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP) is threatening
traditional Turkish secularism. In his view, the military is
using this, along with PKK terrorism, to fear-monger. Our
contact -- a worldly career diplomat who has told us that he
detests AKP insider and foreign policy advisor Ahmet
Davutoglu, but who also admires FonMin Gul as a rational
thinker and foreign policy manager -- asserts that he has
heard from many journalists that the military's approach is
succeeding and AKP is losing votes in the Anatolian
heartland. In his view the outcome of July 22 elections may
well be a Republican People's Party (CHP) - National Action
Party (MHP) coalition government, which he believes would be
a "disaster for you and for us," especially vis-a-vis Iraq.
3. (C) Our contact opined that only U.S. action against the
PKK in northern Iraq could avert a CBO as well as turn the
tables in favor of AKP and ensure a continuation of a
rational Iraq policy. He added that he could not understand
why Barzani (i.e., the KRG) was so unwilling to help on the
PKK issue, since a CHP-MHP coalition (i.e., a nationalist,
strongly anti-Kurd and anti-U.S. government) can only hurt
his interests.
4. (C) While this represents one person's view, it is
surprising that an MFA official would so baldly state his
concerns to us, though naturally it may also have been
calculated to spur us to action on the PKK. His concern
appeared genuine, and he implied it was shared at many levels
in the Ministry, including at the top. He appeared
particularly vexed at "the state's" inability to deal with
taboos such as full acceptance of Turkey's Kurdish
population. He noted that he had just returned from an
official visit to Iran. Apparently during a tour of a major
museum in Tehran, the Iranian tour guide pointed out
antiquities "from our Kurdistan region." He wondered why
such a phrase was acceptable in an authoritarian state such
as Iran, but not in a democracy like Turkey.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON