Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA489
2007-03-05 08:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY EAGER TO COOPERATE ON CENTRAL ASIA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000489
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2022
TAGS: PREL PGOV TX AJ UZ TI AF KG TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY EAGER TO COOPERATE ON CENTRAL ASIA
ANKARA 00000489 001.2 OF 002
Classified by Deputy Polcouns Kelly Degnan for Reasons 1.4
(b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000489
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2022
TAGS: PREL PGOV TX AJ UZ TI AF KG TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY EAGER TO COOPERATE ON CENTRAL ASIA
ANKARA 00000489 001.2 OF 002
Classified by Deputy Polcouns Kelly Degnan for Reasons 1.4
(b,d)
1. (C) Summary: Turkish government officials agreed with SCA
DAS Evan Feigenbaum to explore complementary cooperation
where possible on our approaches to Central Asia (septel).
Representatives from the Turkish General Staff, the Turkish
International Cooperation Administration, the Foreign Trade
Secretariat and the Ministry of Transportation elaborated on
SIPDIS
Turkish involvement in Central Asia in meetings February 26
and offered ideas for future collaboration. End Summary.
--------------
Military Cooperation
--------------
2. (C) Turkish General Staff J5 LTG Hilmi Zorlu enumerated
Turkish military support to the Central Asian nations, to
include the training to date of nearly 900 Central Asian
military personnel in Turkish service academies, civilian
universities and the Partnership for Peace training center.
The Turkish military is focusing its training efforts on
changing the mentality of younger officers and soldiers.
Turkey advocates a slow, steady approach to Central Asia to
avoid exacerbating Russian concerns.
3. (C) Feigenbaum briefed Zorlu on U.S. efforts to develop
more robust security relationships with Central Asia, through
NATO,s Partnership for Peace, the establishment of military
bases such as Manas in Kyrgyzstan, and provision of training
and equipment. The U.S. and Turkey would benefit from
coordinated its approaches and messages to Central Asian
nations. As a fellow NATO member with troops in Afghanistan,
Feigenbaum asked for Zorlu,s support in convincing
Kyrgyzstan of the importance of our continued use of Manas
airbase to our efforts in Afghanistan. Zorlu stressed the
importance of combining military assistance with economic aid
for civilian populations. He and Feigenbaum agreed that we
can both work with Kazakhstan, while Uzbekistan will be more
difficult. We are just beginning to establish a dialogue
with Turkmenistan, taking advantage of openings following
Niyazov,s death in December, Zorlu said.
4. (C) Feigenbaum explained the U.S. strategy of promoting
energy competition and free markets in Central Asia. We do
not demand Central Asians scrap existing contracts with
Russia, but rather encourage them to consider alternatives
for new production. Zorlu highlighted persistent Russian
attempts to "break up" development of east-west energy
corridors by promoting north-south alternatives through
Armenia and Iran, or by trying to financially dominate these
corridors in the case of the Burgas route through Bulgaria
and Greece. Feigenbaum suggested that Turkey continue to
encourage good relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan
on energy and other issues.
--------------
Development Collaboration Possibilities
--------------
5. (C) In his meeting with Turkish International Cooperation
Administration (USAID equivalent) Acting President Mustafa
Sahin, Feigenbaum called for dialogue and cooperation with
Turkey on providing assistance to Central Asia. Sahin
described TICA as employing a "demand-driven" approach and
noted that they had field offices in all five of the Central
Asian countries. Moreover, over half of all TICA,s
assistance goes to the Central Asia and Caucasus countries.
Feigenbaum proposed that there be contact between TICA and
USAID at the field office level and that the TICA President
visit USAID in Washington, in part to discuss USAID's
democracy capacity building assistance. Sahin offered that
while TICA did not provide democracy building assistance, all
of the TICA assistance contributed indirectly to this goal.
ANKARA 00000489 002 OF 002
He opined that although Uzbekistan was a difficult partner,
TICA maintains programs there related to activities
supporting vocational training, pistachio nuts, seeds, and
greenhouses.
--------------
Foreign Trade Opportunities
--------------
6. (C) DAS Feigenbaum's meeting with Hasan Yalcin, Deputy
Director General for Agreements at the Foreign Trade
Undersecretariat (FTU),focused on U.S. efforts to improve
the investment climate in the five Central Asian Republics.
Feigenbaum cited the significant U.S. investment in these
countries and encouraged Turkish it point for Caspian oil and gas and
would be open to future collaborative efforts. He suggested
that this topic could be included in the upcoming U.S.-Turkey
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council meeting,
tentatively scheduled for late March or early April.
--------------
Transportation Options
--------------
7. (C) In a meeting with Suat Hayri Aka, Deputy
Undersecretary of Transport and Communications, Deutsch
described current efforts to improve roadways and air travel
in this region to compensate for the lack of railways. He
focused on efforts to improve the customs services in these
countries and to expand and improve civil aviation. U/S Aka
agreed that these countries could learn from Turkish
Airlines' experience in the region and that perhaps Turkish
construction companies could play a role in these projects.
He expressed Turkey's interest in future collaboration.
8. (U) SCA DAS Feigenbaum cleared this message.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2022
TAGS: PREL PGOV TX AJ UZ TI AF KG TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY EAGER TO COOPERATE ON CENTRAL ASIA
ANKARA 00000489 001.2 OF 002
Classified by Deputy Polcouns Kelly Degnan for Reasons 1.4
(b,d)
1. (C) Summary: Turkish government officials agreed with SCA
DAS Evan Feigenbaum to explore complementary cooperation
where possible on our approaches to Central Asia (septel).
Representatives from the Turkish General Staff, the Turkish
International Cooperation Administration, the Foreign Trade
Secretariat and the Ministry of Transportation elaborated on
SIPDIS
Turkish involvement in Central Asia in meetings February 26
and offered ideas for future collaboration. End Summary.
--------------
Military Cooperation
--------------
2. (C) Turkish General Staff J5 LTG Hilmi Zorlu enumerated
Turkish military support to the Central Asian nations, to
include the training to date of nearly 900 Central Asian
military personnel in Turkish service academies, civilian
universities and the Partnership for Peace training center.
The Turkish military is focusing its training efforts on
changing the mentality of younger officers and soldiers.
Turkey advocates a slow, steady approach to Central Asia to
avoid exacerbating Russian concerns.
3. (C) Feigenbaum briefed Zorlu on U.S. efforts to develop
more robust security relationships with Central Asia, through
NATO,s Partnership for Peace, the establishment of military
bases such as Manas in Kyrgyzstan, and provision of training
and equipment. The U.S. and Turkey would benefit from
coordinated its approaches and messages to Central Asian
nations. As a fellow NATO member with troops in Afghanistan,
Feigenbaum asked for Zorlu,s support in convincing
Kyrgyzstan of the importance of our continued use of Manas
airbase to our efforts in Afghanistan. Zorlu stressed the
importance of combining military assistance with economic aid
for civilian populations. He and Feigenbaum agreed that we
can both work with Kazakhstan, while Uzbekistan will be more
difficult. We are just beginning to establish a dialogue
with Turkmenistan, taking advantage of openings following
Niyazov,s death in December, Zorlu said.
4. (C) Feigenbaum explained the U.S. strategy of promoting
energy competition and free markets in Central Asia. We do
not demand Central Asians scrap existing contracts with
Russia, but rather encourage them to consider alternatives
for new production. Zorlu highlighted persistent Russian
attempts to "break up" development of east-west energy
corridors by promoting north-south alternatives through
Armenia and Iran, or by trying to financially dominate these
corridors in the case of the Burgas route through Bulgaria
and Greece. Feigenbaum suggested that Turkey continue to
encourage good relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan
on energy and other issues.
--------------
Development Collaboration Possibilities
--------------
5. (C) In his meeting with Turkish International Cooperation
Administration (USAID equivalent) Acting President Mustafa
Sahin, Feigenbaum called for dialogue and cooperation with
Turkey on providing assistance to Central Asia. Sahin
described TICA as employing a "demand-driven" approach and
noted that they had field offices in all five of the Central
Asian countries. Moreover, over half of all TICA,s
assistance goes to the Central Asia and Caucasus countries.
Feigenbaum proposed that there be contact between TICA and
USAID at the field office level and that the TICA President
visit USAID in Washington, in part to discuss USAID's
democracy capacity building assistance. Sahin offered that
while TICA did not provide democracy building assistance, all
of the TICA assistance contributed indirectly to this goal.
ANKARA 00000489 002 OF 002
He opined that although Uzbekistan was a difficult partner,
TICA maintains programs there related to activities
supporting vocational training, pistachio nuts, seeds, and
greenhouses.
--------------
Foreign Trade Opportunities
--------------
6. (C) DAS Feigenbaum's meeting with Hasan Yalcin, Deputy
Director General for Agreements at the Foreign Trade
Undersecretariat (FTU),focused on U.S. efforts to improve
the investment climate in the five Central Asian Republics.
Feigenbaum cited the significant U.S. investment in these
countries and encouraged Turkish it point for Caspian oil and gas and
would be open to future collaborative efforts. He suggested
that this topic could be included in the upcoming U.S.-Turkey
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council meeting,
tentatively scheduled for late March or early April.
--------------
Transportation Options
--------------
7. (C) In a meeting with Suat Hayri Aka, Deputy
Undersecretary of Transport and Communications, Deutsch
described current efforts to improve roadways and air travel
in this region to compensate for the lack of railways. He
focused on efforts to improve the customs services in these
countries and to expand and improve civil aviation. U/S Aka
agreed that these countries could learn from Turkish
Airlines' experience in the region and that perhaps Turkish
construction companies could play a role in these projects.
He expressed Turkey's interest in future collaboration.
8. (U) SCA DAS Feigenbaum cleared this message.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON