CORDIAL ISTANBUL GOVERNOR EXTENDS PROMISE OF ANY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000922

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: CORDIAL ISTANBUL GOVERNOR EXTENDS PROMISE OF ANY
REQUIRED SECURITY ASSISTANCE

REF: ANKARA 2440

Classified By: Consul General Sharon A. Wiener for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Summary. Istanbul CG Sharon Wiener requested and
received a meeting with the Governor of Istanbul to stress
the need for appropriate security measures at the U.S.
Consulate in the event the Armenian Genocide Resolution (AGR)
passes the full House. The CG also expressed condolences for
the deaths of 15 Turkish security personnel in the Southeast
over the previous 36 hours. The Governor received the CG
warmly and promised full and open cooperation with the
Consulate to ensure safety of lives and property. He noted
with satisfaction that he and the Consul General had similar
views on the AGR and fight against terrorism. End summary.


2. (C) CG met October 9 with Istanbul Governor Muammer
Guler, whose office has direct overall responsibility for GOT
protection of the Consulate. In the event the AGR passes the
full House, the Governor promised all necessary security
precautions to protect the Consulate, its staff and American
citizens. He said his office and the deputy governor
responsible for security would plan and coordinate security
with the Consulate's Regional Security Office (RSO). He
pledged to stay in touch with the Consul General. Clearly,
he said, it would be possible to tolerate democratic
protests, but the GOT would not permit threats to lives and
property. The government would take precautions wherever
protests occur; they would share information with RSO that
was developed in advance of such demonstrations. Guler said
his office would consider more in the way of protection as
events warranted. If the AGR passed the full House, he
suggested a further meeting to facilitate communication and
to consider further security steps. Protests, he said, would
be kept at a safe distance from the Consulate entrances.


3. (C) On October 15, 2007, Vice Governor Ergun Gungor
followed up on the Governor,s commitment and discussed with
the RSO additional security measures for the consulate. The
Vice Governor promised continued police support with the
deployment of both uniformed and plain clothes personnel and
will discuss with Sariyer Police, the consulate's local
Turkish National Police (TNP) station, the need for temporary
barriers to control any potential demonstrations outside our
facility.


4. (C) The Governor pointed out that the Southeast attacks
killing Turkish security forces took place on Kadir or "Night
of Power" when Muslims believe the first verses of the Koran
were revealed to Muhammad. The timing made a greater impact
than had the attacks occurred on an ordinary night. The
Turkish public gives high importance to U.S.-Turkish
relations. Its perception that the PKK receives support from
Northern Iraq, where the U.S. has a presence, damages public
trust in the U.S. If the U.S. fails to visibly act against
the PKK, the public will have no trust in the security
cooperation agreement Ankara signed with Iraq September 28
(Reftel). Describing the situation as "most frustrating,"
Guler nevertheless said no government can withstand this kind
of public pressure for long. He spoke of the need for
retribution against Kurdistan Regional President Barzani and
Iraqi President Talibani if they do not help in the fight
against the PKK in Northern Iraq.



5. (C) The Governor noted with satisfaction that he and the
Consul General had similar thoughts and feelings about the
AGR. An AGR passed by the U.S. House will only heighten
anti-Armenian feeling in Turkey; this, he said, would be a
tragedy. Turkey had never made its children enemies of
Armenia. The events of 1915 were matters for historians and
intellectuals to debate, he said. Guler drew attention to
the coincidence of timing for the resolution before the House
International Relations Committee and the deaths of 15
Turkish security forces in Turkey's fight against PKK
terrorists, musing it seemed the attacks could have been
planned to exacerbate AGR-related tension. The perception of
Turks regarding America contrasted with that of Europe.
Turks always felt confident the United States would not let
long term relations be soured. Recent PKK-related deaths
coupled with the situation in Northern Iraq have shaken
public trust in Turkey's strategic partner.
WIENER