Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1052
2008-06-06 10:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY-PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN: "ANKARA PROCESS"
how-toVZCZCXRO2962 PP RUEHPW DE RUEHAK #1052 1581048 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 061048Z JUN 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6489 INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001052
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, SCA/A
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF PK TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY-PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN: "ANKARA PROCESS"
TRILATERAL DATES SLIP; ANKARA LOOKING AHEAD TO POST-DOSTUM
JUNBESH LEADERSHIP
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d
"ANKARA PROCESS" TRILATERAL SUMMIT
NOW PLANNED FOR OCTOBER
-----------------------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001052
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, SCA/A
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF PK TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY-PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN: "ANKARA PROCESS"
TRILATERAL DATES SLIP; ANKARA LOOKING AHEAD TO POST-DOSTUM
JUNBESH LEADERSHIP
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d
"ANKARA PROCESS" TRILATERAL SUMMIT
NOW PLANNED FOR OCTOBER
--------------
1. (C) Ongoing political wrangling in Pakistan has caused
the dates for the next Turkey-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral
summit (the "Ankara Process") to slip once again, this time
to October 2008, according to MFA South Asia Section Head
Ilhan Sener. An U/S-level Joint Working Group (JWG) would
thus be held in September, to prepare for the summit.
2. (C) Sener emphasized that it was Pakistani FM Qureshi who
announced during Turkish FM Babacan's April 18-19 visit that
a JWG meeting would take place in May 2008; Turkey recognizes
Pakistan's political situation will need to sort itself out
before such a summit can take place. In particular,
by-elections are upcoming and new Foreign Secretary Bashir is
still settling into his position. The Turks are eager, but
not anxious, and are prepared to wait. Sener expressed some
frustration with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif who, he said, by
pulling his party from the Cabinet, has cleverly managed to
remain inside the democratically-elected government without
having to take on any governing responsibility. PPP-leader
Zardari, he opined, has been acting more responsibly. Sener
told us the Turks would use the extra time to further develop
the summit agenda.
THE LONG-VIEW ON DOSTUM: JUNBESH PARTY CONGRESS
-------------- --
3. (C) It is Turkey's "strong expectation" that Dostum will
not stand for Junbesh party chairman at the June 15 party
congress, according to Sener. The Turks have leaned on
Dostum, reminding him they "saved him from the gallows."
Turkey is not supporting any particular candidate for
chairman, but Sener emphasized that it is only a chairman
being elected at this stage, not leader. It will take time
-- at least six months -- to cultivate the new chairman,
develop him as a leader, and transition that role away from
Dostum. Like him or not, Dostum is seen as a leader and "it
is not easy to create one in Afghanistan," said Sener.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, SCA/A
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF PK TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY-PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN: "ANKARA PROCESS"
TRILATERAL DATES SLIP; ANKARA LOOKING AHEAD TO POST-DOSTUM
JUNBESH LEADERSHIP
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 b, d
"ANKARA PROCESS" TRILATERAL SUMMIT
NOW PLANNED FOR OCTOBER
--------------
1. (C) Ongoing political wrangling in Pakistan has caused
the dates for the next Turkey-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral
summit (the "Ankara Process") to slip once again, this time
to October 2008, according to MFA South Asia Section Head
Ilhan Sener. An U/S-level Joint Working Group (JWG) would
thus be held in September, to prepare for the summit.
2. (C) Sener emphasized that it was Pakistani FM Qureshi who
announced during Turkish FM Babacan's April 18-19 visit that
a JWG meeting would take place in May 2008; Turkey recognizes
Pakistan's political situation will need to sort itself out
before such a summit can take place. In particular,
by-elections are upcoming and new Foreign Secretary Bashir is
still settling into his position. The Turks are eager, but
not anxious, and are prepared to wait. Sener expressed some
frustration with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif who, he said, by
pulling his party from the Cabinet, has cleverly managed to
remain inside the democratically-elected government without
having to take on any governing responsibility. PPP-leader
Zardari, he opined, has been acting more responsibly. Sener
told us the Turks would use the extra time to further develop
the summit agenda.
THE LONG-VIEW ON DOSTUM: JUNBESH PARTY CONGRESS
-------------- --
3. (C) It is Turkey's "strong expectation" that Dostum will
not stand for Junbesh party chairman at the June 15 party
congress, according to Sener. The Turks have leaned on
Dostum, reminding him they "saved him from the gallows."
Turkey is not supporting any particular candidate for
chairman, but Sener emphasized that it is only a chairman
being elected at this stage, not leader. It will take time
-- at least six months -- to cultivate the new chairman,
develop him as a leader, and transition that role away from
Dostum. Like him or not, Dostum is seen as a leader and "it
is not easy to create one in Afghanistan," said Sener.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON