TURKEY-MACEDONIA STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001572 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV MK TU GR SUBJECT: TURKEY-MACEDONIA STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT POSTPONEMENT UNLIKELY REF: STATE 91776 Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) In response to reftel demarche points, MFA Balkans Department Head Ilhan Saygili underscored to us that the strategic cooperation document is not an agreement, but a statement of the two countries' intentions to promote and strengthen bilateral strategic relations. Within the document, the GOT welcomes Macedonian efforts to maintain friendly and constructive relations with its neighbors as well as GOM contributions to international and regional peace and stability. As is GOT practice, the document includes recognition of the Republic of Macedonia by its constitutional name, he said, adding Turkey wishes to help find an amicable solution to the name dispute issue. The two governments will formally agree to future consultation and cooperation, with heavy emphasis on economic and commercial ties, investment, and defense cooperation. The document also includes language affirming the mutual support of the fight against organized crime, money laundering, and terrorism. Defense and security cooperation is characterized in the document as the creation of bilateral military training and education programs and developing defense industry partnerships to include the possibility of joint production and military sales. ¶2. (C) Saygili emphasized that the document draws upon standard GOT strategic cooperation language reflected in similar statements with dozens of countries including Albania and Serbia. He noted the two governments, intent to sign the document during Macedonian FM Milososki's upcoming Ankara visit the second week of September; no date as been set yet. Saygili said Ankara and Skopje have attempted to coordinate a visit for the last few months; September is the first opening on both Foreign Ministers, schedules. He said the MFA would give due consideration to our demarche request to postpone signing the document, but questioned whether the strategic cooperation statement would have any impact on the discussions of the name recognition issue. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON