TURKEY: INTENSIVE MIDDLE EAST OUTREACH

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002587

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2017
TAGS: PREL IS IZ SA SY TU XF
SUBJECT: TURKEY: INTENSIVE MIDDLE EAST OUTREACH


Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d


1. (C) BEGIN SUMMARY. Turkish FM Babacan embarked on the
second leg of an intensive period of Middle East and regional
outreach this week. His October 17-19 visit to Egypt and
Lebanon follows closely on the heels of his recent tour of
Syria, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories. As a
continuation of the GOT,s Middle East rapprochement policy,
the new Foreign Minister is dovetailing his familiarization
tour with outreach on issues of importance to Turkey in the
region, specifically the Iraq Neighbors Ministerial in
Istanbul and the Middle East peace meeting in Annapolis. In
addition, Syrian President Asad began a four-day visit to
Turkey on October 16, and the GOT expects a number of
additional high-level visitors to arrive soon, including
Israeli President Peres, Palestinian President Abbas, and
Saudi King Abdullah. Babacan plans to complete the final
legs of his regional tour prior to the end of October with
visits to Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.


2. (S/NF) Babacan hopes to travel to Iraq as well -- the
highest ranking Turkish official in years to visit Baghdad,
and a significant step for Turks and Iraqis alike, given
tensions over the PKK and Iraq. END SUMMARY.

CONSULTING IRAQ'S NEIGHBORS
--------------


3. (C) We met on October 16 with MFA Deputy Director General
for Middle East Affairs Omer Onhon to discuss GOT goals for
the intensive round of diplomatic activity FM Babacan has
embarked upon in the Middle East. According to Onhon, GOT
objectives are to introduce FM Babacan to his counterparts in
the region and coordinate ahead of the November 2-3 Iraq
Neighbors Ministerial, being hosted by Turkey in Istanbul.
The GOT believes that consulting all interested parties is
critical to achieving a concrete result at the conference,
which the Turks very much want. Following his swing last
week through Syria, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and
Jordan, Babacan is visiting Egypt and Lebanon, October 17-19,
and soon thereafter will visit Iran, October 27-28, as well
as a separate trip to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and Iraq.
Onhon noted concern in the region over the myriad Iraqi
partition plans that are circulating. Analogies to Dayton,
he asserted, are misplaced.

AND IRAQ
--------------


4. (S/NF) Babacan also hopes to travel to Baghdad before the
end of October, though no date is yet set. This would mark a
first for the Turks -- the highest level GOT official to
visit Baghdad in years. It would also constitute positive
outreach at a time of continued tension over the terrorist
PKK, holed up in northern Iraq. The visit's timing would put
it within two weeks of the Turkish parliament's October 17
vote, which granted the GOT the power for one year to
authorize a cross-border operation to counter the PKK
presence there. The Turks are currently keeping this close
hold.

RAISING TURKEY'S PROFILE
--------------


5. (C) The GOT's interest in the region extends beyond Iraq,
though. Following on the heels of its reelection, the
Justice and Development Party (AKP)-led GOT aims to
reinvigorate its first term rapprochement policy toward the
Middle East. Its goal is to move away from historical
ambivalence and toward a goal of becoming a "determining
actor" in the region. It wants Turkey to improve its
economic, cultural, and security ties with neighboring
countries and regions. The new GOT program also calls for a
"just solution" to the conflicts in Palestine and Lebanon.
In pursuit of this aim, the GOT wants a seat at the table in
Annapolis. Onhon expressed some concern that the meeting

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might be postponed if Prime Minister Olmert and President
Abbas are unable to agree on a working document. He believes
that the GOT has demonstrated a capacity to play a
constructive role in the region.


6. (C) Babacan's consultations with Palestinian Authority
President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad last week
underscored for the GOT the deep divisions that exist between
Fatah and Hamas and how difficult implementing any peace
agreement will be. The GOT does not want to see two
Palestines emerge. Onhon told us that Abbas plans to visit
Ankara in November. In addition, Israeli President Peres is
scheduled to visit, November 11-13, and Saudi King Abdullah
plans to pay a return visit in November, though dates for
that visit are not yet finalized. This would be the King's
second official visit to Turkey in just over a year.

ENGAGING SYRIA
--------------


7. (C) Commenting on Babacan's visit to Syria, Onhon
reiterated what the Turks have told us before: that the FM
emerged with the impression that the Syrians want to engage
with the international community, but are unable to find a
way to end their isolation. The Syrians told Babacan that
they had not received a formal invitation to Annapolis, but
acknowledged that they would be invited as a member of the
Arab League. They added that for Syria to participate, the
Golan Heights must be on the agenda. The GOT wants to help
Syria be part of regional solutions -- something the GOT
believes ISRAEL supports -- but recognizes that the Syrians
must take certain actions, such as limiting the flow of
foreign fighters into Iraq. Onhon believes the Syrians have
reduced the numbers, but he noted how difficult it is to get
a clear message from them. He surmised that the SARG might
be reluctant to highlight its efforts, which could draw
attention to regime weakness, since some SARG agencies may be
acting outside the scope of what President Asad would like.
Onhon assured us that the GOT would convey our ongoing
concerns regarding foreign fighters during President Asad's
four-day visit to Turkey beginning October 16, and suggested
that we provide to the GOT any hard data we have on the
continued flow of foreign fighters through Syria.

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

WILSON