TURKEY: WILL GO WITH THE EU FLOW ON ZIMBABWE, BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000658 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT. FOR AF/S - STEVE HILL AND EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM ZI TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: WILL GO WITH THE EU FLOW ON ZIMBABWE, BUT NO STAND-ALONE STATEMENT REF: A. STATE 34009 ¶B. ANKARA 469 Classified By: Political Counselor Janice Weiner for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) We delivered ref a points March 19 to MFA Africa Department Head Raif Karaca. Karaca asked for time to discuss the issue internally and came back to us March 21. Karaca noted that Turkey, as an EU accession candidate country, associates itself routinely with EU statements on Zimbabwe and would continue to do so should the EU issue a statement concerning the situation there. Karaca said the GOT is under no false illusions about Mugabe and realizes the degree to which Mugabe's regime oppresses its opponents. ¶2. (C) However, Karaca said the GOT is not inclined at this time to issue independently a statement condemning the Zimbabwean government. Given Turkey's goal in securing a UN Security Council seat in elections next year for 2009-2010 and its focus on African votes (as reported ref b),this is disappointing but not particularly surprising. Karaca has told us in the past Zimbabwe is one of the countries that has already promised its vote to Turkey. Karaca added that Turkey is not currently serving on the UN Human Rights Council and is not actively engaged in the debate regarding an HRC response to the situation in Zimbabwe. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ MCELDOWNEY