WARM RECEPTION FOR FM BABACAN IN IRAN; TEPID

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002702 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN, T, EUR, EAP, NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER KNNP PARM EFIN IR IZ TU SUBJECT: WARM RECEPTION FOR FM BABACAN IN IRAN; TEPID SUPPORT FOR CBO REF: SECSTATE 148605 Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d ¶1. SUMMARY. Turkish FM Babacan received a warm reception from Iranian political leaders in his first visit to Iran, October 27-28. Iran is well-positioned to understand Turkey's PKK dilemma, but Iranian leaders did not extend support for a Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq. Iran and Turkey reaffirmed their like-minded positions in support of Iraq's prosperity and territorial integrity, though GOT skepticism of Iranian intentions remains. In its readout on the visit, MFA noted its continued support for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear standoff; multilateral, UNSC sanctions remained important tools. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) MFA Deputy Director General for Middle East and South Asia Babur Hizlan briefed us October 31 on FM Babacan's October 27 visit to Iran. Hizlan told us that Babacan was received warmly on his first visit to Iran. FMs Babacan and Iranian FM Mottaki held three sessions: a personal meeting, a limited participation meeting, and a full-delegation session. The Turkish delegation included MFA Deputy U/S for Middle East Sinirlioglu, Iraq Special Envoy Celikkol, Presidential Foreign Affairs Advisor (and Turkey's outgoing Ambassador to Tehran) Turkoglu, and Hizlan. FM Babacan also met with Iranian President Ahmadinejad, Parliament Speaker Hadad Adel, and new National Security Council Secretary General Saeed Jalilli. Hizlan noted Jalilli's reputation for being a "tough guy," but said he was pleasant enough with the Turks. IRAN NOT ON BOARD WITH A MILITARY RESPONSE TO PKK CRISIS -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) On the GOT's highest priority issue, PKK terrorism, Hizlan said that Iran is the country best suited to understanding Turkey's position. Turkey believes that PJAK militants are directly affiliated with the PKK, and the Turks receive reports that Iran is also regularly being attacked by northern Iraq-based terrorists. Ahmadinejad told Babacan that Iran understands Turkey's struggle against terrorism and is ready to cooperate with Turkey. Iran's leaders, however, declined to endorse a Turkish military incursion into Iraq. Asked whether Iran would support a Turkish military strike, Mottaki replied, "I think we will be able to overcome these small groups. There are various ways of going about this. We hope our cooperation will allow us to solve this as soon as possible." Prior to Babacan's arrival, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hosseini commented, "Any solution that creates tension will only worsen the situation in northern Iraq, although we believe there is a need to confront terrorist 'grouplets'." In his joint press conference with Babacan, Mottaki sought to blame the United States and Israel for PKK violence, claiming to have seen the "hand of the Zionist regime and the United States" behind the PKK. Babacan did not take the bait. He publicly disagreed, saying the United States had itself been a victim of terror and would not support such activities. ¶4. (C) Hizlan told us that it is not clear what type of action Iran is taking to counter the PJAK threat. The GOT believes Iran undertakes operations across the border in Iraq, in addition to cross-border shelling, but that Iran does not acknowledge these. He noted that Iranian leaders often try to convince their Turkish counterparts that PJAK is attacking Iran because of Iranian support for Turkey. Hizlan said it is possible that the PKK has, in fact, extended its scope of activities to include Iran and Iraq, and become a violent proponent of a united Kurdistan. The PKK, he stated, is now actively recruiting not only from Turkey, but also from Iraq, Iran, and probably still from Syria. COMMON VISION ON IRAQ, SKEPTICISM REMAINS -------------- ¶5. (C) Regarding Iraq, Hizlan said the two sides reaffirmed their similar positions and common vision for a unified and prosperous Iraq, in full control of its borders. Iran, he said, shares Turkey's desire for concrete, positive results from the Istanbul Expanded Neighbors Conference. The Iranians requested that a session be dedicated to Iraq's ANKARA 00002702 002 OF 002 actual neighbors, as in Sharm el Sheikh, which Turkey does plan to hold over breakfast on November 3. The GOT delegation shared with the Iranians Turkey's ideas to establish a new committee on economic cooperation between Iraq and its neighbors, and to support the UNSYG's concept of a UN support mechanism to facilitate the Neighbors process. The Iranians, he said, were not opposed. Despite an apparent meeting of minds on Iraq, Hizlan made clear that the GOT has not surrendered its skepticism about Iran's role in Iraq. MULTILATERAL SANCTIONS ARE PART OF A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) We also delivered to Hizlan the non-paper and fact sheet on the October 25 U.S. designation of Iranian entities for their support to terrorism and on proliferation grounds (reftel). (We will separately deliver the same points to the MFA Deputy Directorate for Security Affairs.) Hizlan thanked us for the information and noted that Bank Mellat has branches in Istanbul. As a whole, he believes that Turkish financial institutions have been careful. He signaled continued Turkish support for UNSC sanctions, stressing that the GOT prefers a diplomatic solution to the Iranian standoff, and that sanctions backed by UNSC resolutions are a key part of any such solution. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON