Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1364
2008-07-30 06:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY-AFRICA COOPERATION SUMMIT PREPARATIONS ON
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001364
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV XA TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY-AFRICA COOPERATION SUMMIT PREPARATIONS ON
TRACK
REF: ANKARA 1307
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001364
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV XA TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY-AFRICA COOPERATION SUMMIT PREPARATIONS ON
TRACK
REF: ANKARA 1307
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) MFA Deputy U/S Cevikoz updated the DCM on preparation
for the August 18-20 Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit in
Istanbul (reftel). 17 heads of state or government have so
far confirmed participation and the GOT is expecting more.
Zimbabwe has not confirmed President Mugabe's participation,
while Sudanese President Bashir has confirmed. Bashir,
however, accepted before the International Criminal Court
(ICC) prosecutor filed the case against him, and Cevikoz
thought he might still cancel or delegate another official.
(Turkey is neither party nor signatory to the ICC.)
Countries not sending leaders could be represented at the FM
level. Outlining the program, Cevikoz said political
directors will meet on August 18, followed by FMs. Leaders
will then meet, for a half day only, on the 19th, beginning
with a PM-hosted lunch. President Gul will chair the
leaders' session, and then host a dinner. A draft political
declaration is already being translated; Turkey met with
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping in Ankara, July
16-17, to finalize the document. Information on the Africa
Summit can be found, in English and Turkish, at
http://africa.mfa.gov.tr.
2. (C) Building on its experience in Central Asia and
Afghanistan, Turkey, said Cevikoz, has the capacity to make
significant contributions to African development, namely in
the fields of agriculture and irrigation, construction,
health care, small and medium sized enterprises, and peace
and security. He reminded that the Turkish military,
gendarmerie and/or police is contributing to some eight UN
peacekeeping missions, including in the Gambia and Sierra
Leone, and is already operating a field hospital in Darfur,
which Turkey plans to make permanent. The Africa Union, to
which Turkey is an observer, has already declared Turkey a
"strategic partner." Turkey is aiming to hold an Africa
summit every five years, and wants political directors to
meet every two years to prepare for summits and review
progress; the declaration will contain an annex charting a
program for continued senior-level exchanges between Ankara
and Addis Ababa.
3. (C) Cevikoz said the summit invitation was valid for all
African heads of state and government, Bashir and Mugabe
included. Cevikoz emphasized there will be no special
session at the summit on political issues. Turkey only
wishes to demonstrate how it can contribute to resolving many
of the continent's most serious problems, which extend beyond
conflicts in Darfur and Zimbabwe. In particular, Turkey
wishes to highlight the role of the Turkish International
Development Agency (TIKA) in Africa. TIKA's Africa budget
has grown substantially in recent years and it has opened
field offices in Khartoum, Addis Ababa and Dakar. Cevikoz
noted his efforts to secure from the government a
substantial, five-year Turkish aid pledge for Africa, to be
announced at the summit, which he believes will encourage
Turkish firms to engage more actively in development projects.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV XA TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY-AFRICA COOPERATION SUMMIT PREPARATIONS ON
TRACK
REF: ANKARA 1307
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) MFA Deputy U/S Cevikoz updated the DCM on preparation
for the August 18-20 Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit in
Istanbul (reftel). 17 heads of state or government have so
far confirmed participation and the GOT is expecting more.
Zimbabwe has not confirmed President Mugabe's participation,
while Sudanese President Bashir has confirmed. Bashir,
however, accepted before the International Criminal Court
(ICC) prosecutor filed the case against him, and Cevikoz
thought he might still cancel or delegate another official.
(Turkey is neither party nor signatory to the ICC.)
Countries not sending leaders could be represented at the FM
level. Outlining the program, Cevikoz said political
directors will meet on August 18, followed by FMs. Leaders
will then meet, for a half day only, on the 19th, beginning
with a PM-hosted lunch. President Gul will chair the
leaders' session, and then host a dinner. A draft political
declaration is already being translated; Turkey met with
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping in Ankara, July
16-17, to finalize the document. Information on the Africa
Summit can be found, in English and Turkish, at
http://africa.mfa.gov.tr.
2. (C) Building on its experience in Central Asia and
Afghanistan, Turkey, said Cevikoz, has the capacity to make
significant contributions to African development, namely in
the fields of agriculture and irrigation, construction,
health care, small and medium sized enterprises, and peace
and security. He reminded that the Turkish military,
gendarmerie and/or police is contributing to some eight UN
peacekeeping missions, including in the Gambia and Sierra
Leone, and is already operating a field hospital in Darfur,
which Turkey plans to make permanent. The Africa Union, to
which Turkey is an observer, has already declared Turkey a
"strategic partner." Turkey is aiming to hold an Africa
summit every five years, and wants political directors to
meet every two years to prepare for summits and review
progress; the declaration will contain an annex charting a
program for continued senior-level exchanges between Ankara
and Addis Ababa.
3. (C) Cevikoz said the summit invitation was valid for all
African heads of state and government, Bashir and Mugabe
included. Cevikoz emphasized there will be no special
session at the summit on political issues. Turkey only
wishes to demonstrate how it can contribute to resolving many
of the continent's most serious problems, which extend beyond
conflicts in Darfur and Zimbabwe. In particular, Turkey
wishes to highlight the role of the Turkish International
Development Agency (TIKA) in Africa. TIKA's Africa budget
has grown substantially in recent years and it has opened
field offices in Khartoum, Addis Ababa and Dakar. Cevikoz
noted his efforts to secure from the government a
substantial, five-year Turkish aid pledge for Africa, to be
announced at the summit, which he believes will encourage
Turkish firms to engage more actively in development projects.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON