DEMARCHE REQUEST ON NATO MEMBERS AND ASPIRING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001338 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SE, IO/UNP - JOHN MARIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018 TAGS: NATO PREL PHUM PTER IR TU SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST ON NATO MEMBERS AND ASPIRING MEMBERS' PARTICIPATION IN NAM MINISTERIAL -- TURKEY REF: SECSTATE 80088 Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (c) Ambassador spoke July 25 with Turkish MFA U/S Apakan to inquire about FM Babacan's plans to attend the Tehran NAM ministerial and to carry out the demarche in reftel. The Turkish press has been reporting for some days that Babacan may attend, and lower-level MFA staff had previously suggested that this might happen. ¶2. (c) U/S Apakan indicated that the final decision on FM Babacan's going to Tehran had not yet been taken, and he expressed appreciation for US views. He confirmed interest in Babacan being in Tehran for two reasons: (a) to lobby participants on behalf of Turkey's current bid for election to the UN Security Council and (b) to speak with Iranian leaders on the nuclear issue and to urge them to respond positively and soon to the P5/1 proposal that was discussed July 19 in Geneva. ¶3. (c) U/S Apakan also said that if FM Babacan does go, he will not attend the NAM ministerial itself, but rather will talk with participants on the margins. In any case, Turkey will not associate itself with NAM statements that might be adopted there. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON