DEMARCHE TO TURKISH GOVERNMENT ON HAMAS

S E C R E T ANKARA 002760 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2017 TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KTFN TU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO TURKISH GOVERNMENT ON HAMAS FUNDRAISING IN TURKEY REF: A. ANKARA 2751 ¶B. SECSTATE 153489 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (s) Further to ref a, Ambassador raised November 13 with Turkish Presidency/PM foreign affairs advisor Davutoglu US objections to the "International Jerusalem Meeting" planned for Istanbul. Davotoglu indicated that President Gul had discussed this earlier in the day with Palestinian President Abbas, who is visiting Ankara for various events connected with Israeli President Peres. According to Davutoglu, Abbas indicated to Gul that he was not so much concerned about HAMAS-related fundraising as with the possibility that the conference might issue a statement that would be embarrassing or difficult to him on the eve of Annapolis. Perhaps partly based on a more diverse representation at the conference, including Fatah, Abbas had reportedly become convinced that there will be no statement and thus did not object to the conference and, according to the Turks, was pleased that it was taking place. ¶2. (s) At the direction of President Gul, Davutoglu had been in direct contact with the Palestinian organizer of the Istanbul meeting. The two of them agreed that there will be no statement whatsoever coming out of the conference and no fundraising of any kind taking place there. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON