Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1231
2008-07-09 07:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY QUIET ON EU CUBA BENCHMARKS
how-toVZCZCXRO2546 PP RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHAK #1231 1910745 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 090745Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6787 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0004
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001231
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM CU TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY QUIET ON EU CUBA BENCHMARKS
REF: A. SECSTATE 71974
B. ANKARA 390
Classified By: Political Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 b, d
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001231
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM CU TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY QUIET ON EU CUBA BENCHMARKS
REF: A. SECSTATE 71974
B. ANKARA 390
Classified By: Political Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 b, d
1. (C) The GOT does not intend to endorse publicly the June
23 EU policy statements on Cuba, but believes Turkey will be
able to support the EU approach of setting aside sanctions
and furthering a political dialogue based on Cuban progress
on key human rights benchmarks, MFA Latin America Department
Head Ece Ozturk-Cil told us July 7. Ozturk-Cil noted that
Turkey has generally sought to track EU policy toward Cuba
and said she would convey our points (Ref A) to MFA Americas
Director General and former Ambassador to Havana Vefahan Ocak
and coordinate with MFA's EU Department. Ocak had earlier
complained to us about the EU which, he said, sought to
champion a human rights agenda in Cuba while member states
"shamelessly" cut commercial deals for their companies (Ref
B).
2. (SBU) Ozturk-Cil noted that Turkey has no political
dialogue with Cuba at this time, only annual Joint Economic
Commission meetings, alternating between Ankara and Havana.
The Turkish side is led by the Foreign Trade
Undersecretariat. The last commission meeting was held in
Ankara, March 2008, where Turkey agreed to extend Turkish
EXIM bank credits to Turkish exports to Cuba, presently worth
only thousands of dollars, according to Ozturk-Cil.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM CU TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY QUIET ON EU CUBA BENCHMARKS
REF: A. SECSTATE 71974
B. ANKARA 390
Classified By: Political Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 b, d
1. (C) The GOT does not intend to endorse publicly the June
23 EU policy statements on Cuba, but believes Turkey will be
able to support the EU approach of setting aside sanctions
and furthering a political dialogue based on Cuban progress
on key human rights benchmarks, MFA Latin America Department
Head Ece Ozturk-Cil told us July 7. Ozturk-Cil noted that
Turkey has generally sought to track EU policy toward Cuba
and said she would convey our points (Ref A) to MFA Americas
Director General and former Ambassador to Havana Vefahan Ocak
and coordinate with MFA's EU Department. Ocak had earlier
complained to us about the EU which, he said, sought to
champion a human rights agenda in Cuba while member states
"shamelessly" cut commercial deals for their companies (Ref
B).
2. (SBU) Ozturk-Cil noted that Turkey has no political
dialogue with Cuba at this time, only annual Joint Economic
Commission meetings, alternating between Ankara and Havana.
The Turkish side is led by the Foreign Trade
Undersecretariat. The last commission meeting was held in
Ankara, March 2008, where Turkey agreed to extend Turkish
EXIM bank credits to Turkish exports to Cuba, presently worth
only thousands of dollars, according to Ozturk-Cil.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON