BABACAN/LAVROV IN ISTANBUL: "FRIENDS CAN DISAGREE"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001602 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018 TAGS: PREL RU TU SUBJECT: BABACAN/LAVROV IN ISTANBUL: "FRIENDS CAN DISAGREE" REF: A. ANKARA 1584 ¶B. ANKARA 1553 Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel J. O'Grady, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Turkey underscored its support for Georgia's territorial integrity during FM Babacan's September 2 meeting with Russian FM Lavrov in Istanbul, MFA DDG for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova Murat Burhan told us September ¶4. However, Lavrov called the decision to recognize Abkhaz and South Ossetian independence "irrevocable." Lavrov is reportedly "warm to the idea" of Turkey's "Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform" (CSCP) and is ready to continue consultations at the expert-level. Turkey will continue to push all sides to come together, even if only at the working-level, to re-build confidence, and will continue to develop the platform concept in bilateral discussions with its Caucasus neighbors and Russia. Lavrov insisted that there was no connection between the Georgian conflict and measures by Russian custom authorities to subject Turkish exports to rigorous and slow inspections. Turkey is looking to Moscow to address the trade dispute comprehensively at a senior-level. END SUMMARY. LAVROV DENIES POLITICAL MESSAGE IN CUSTOMS DISPUTE -------------- ¶2. (C) According to Burhan, Babacan and Lavrov addressed bilateral problems, in addition to regional issues, during their September 2 meetings in Istanbul, both in the tete-a-tete and full delegation sessions. The meetings were conducted in English. Lavrov reportedly dismissed as "bullshit" various media allegations that Russia was seeking to send any kind of message to Turkey by holding up Turkish trucks at customs checkpoints for slow and arduous inspections; the issue is purely technical, he insisted. Burhan noted that the two sides' customs authorities had been in expert-level negotiations since July 16 to streamline Russian customs procedures on Turkish trucks, and the Turks suspect the Russian side may have been trying to push Turkey to accept the Russian proposal. Burhan suggested Turkey was satisfied with Lavrov's explanation, but remains skeptical. What the political message might have been, if there was one, the GOT does not know. Turkey hopes Moscow will address the customs matter expeditiously at a senior-level. (COMMENT: If Russia intended any political message by subjecting Turkish trucks to arduous new customs procedures, it seems to 
have backfired. More acute skepticism from the media about Turkey's "balanced" approach toward Russia in the conflict with Georgia began to emerge with reports about Turkish trucks backing up at Russian ports of entry. END END COMMENT.) BABACAN PUSHES REGIONAL DIALOGUE; SUPPORTS GEORGIA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY -------------- ¶3. (C) Babacan expressed Turkey's satisfaction that armed clashes have stopped and urged that dialogue should now ensue. Lavrov, according to Burhan, said he was "warm to the idea" of a CSCP and that Moscow is ready to continue consultations at the expert-level. Turkey recognizes that bringing Russian and Georgian leaders together is almost impossible with Tbilisi having cut all diplomatic contact with Moscow and the two sides' leadership having no confidence in each other. But Turkey, he said, will continue to reach out to all sides to further develop and refine the CSCP proposal and will continue to urge governments in the region to come together, even if only at a working-level (i.e., MFA Deputy U/S Cevikoz),to begin to rebuild confidence. (NOTE: Georgian PM Gurgenidze visits Istanbul September 5 for consultations with PM Erdogan. END NOTE.) ¶4. (C) Babacan underscored repeatedly Turkey's support for Georgian unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity (see ref A). Lavrov did not challenge, or even acknowledge, the Turkish stance, according to Burhan. (In the press conference following their talks, the ministers simply concurred that "friends can disagree.") Lavrov told Babacan that Russia was left with no other option but to recognize Abkhaz and South Ossetian independence and that the decision was "irrevocable." Lavrov went on to blame President Saakashvili for all the problems between Georgia and Russia and said he hoped the Georgian people -- with whom Russia has no problem -- would one day "choose the right leader for their country." Lavrov reportedly regretted Tbilisi's ANKARA 00001602 002 OF 003 decision to cut diplomatic ties, but said it would only hurt Georgia. Lavrov was also critical of the U.S. for what he called a "blackout" against Russia over the past two weeks, quipping that he would now have to call the Secretary "Dr. Rice," instead of "Condi." Lavrov told Babacan he does not wish to cut relations with NATO completely, noting ongoing cooperation in Afghanistan, but complained that it was NATO that severed contacts with Russia. Russia, he said, is ready to cooperate with NATO so long as Russia is placed on an equal footing and that its legitimate concerns are taken into account. ¶5. (C) Asked if Lavrov's conciliatory stance toward Turkey's expressed support for Georgia's territorial integrity might indicate that Russia is pleased with what it perceives to be relatively weak statements from Turkey in support of Georgia's territorial integrity, Burhan acknowledged that the MFA statement on Abkhazia and South Ossetia (ref B) had not been strongly worded, but contended that it had been clear. Turkey, he said, has to consider its relations with Russia, with which it shares a critical geography and is its number one trading partner: $28 billion in bilateral trade; $30 billion in Turkish construction investments in Russia ($6 billion last year alone -- 25 percent of Turkey's worldwide share); and 2.5 million Russian tourists last year (not to mention Turkish energy dependency on Russia). Turkey, Burhan reminded, joined the EU and, of course, the NATO declarations opposing the Russian actions. RUSSIA AS A KEY ELEMENT OF TURKEY'S "MULTI-DIMENSIONAL" FOREIGN POLICY -------------- ¶6. (C) Burhan said Turkey's overall foreign policy direction has not changed substantially since 1923. It seeks to minimize the myriad problems it faces all around its borders. It is a huge task that calls for a "multi-dimensional" foreign policy, and Russia must be one of those dimensions. Still, it is not an alternative to Euro-Atlantic ties. Political ties with Russia, he noted, are still not well-developed, only having really begun to deepen with then-President Putin's visit to Turkey in 2004. The relationship was jump-started by trade and investment. Turkey and Russia have a 500-year history of diplomatic relations, but have also fought 13 wars over the centuries. Burhan, who served in Moscow 2001-2004, said he believes there is a permanent question mark in the Russian security establishment about Turkey, namely its intentions in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Turkey must act proactively to overcome this lack of confidence; the Russians will not take the initiative. But potential problems persist below the radar (such as in Chechnya or Russia's failure to label the PKK a terrorist organization),and Turkey sometimes doubts Russia's commitment to bettering bilateral relations. TURKEY SKEPTICAL ABOUT RUSSIAN SUPPORT FOR NORMALIZED TURKEY-ARMENIA RELATIONS -------------- ¶7. (C) Lavrov, according to Burhan, was "poker-faced" about President Gul's plans to travel to Yerevan September 6 at the invitation of Armenian President Sargsyan. Russia now and then offers to mediate between Turkey and Armenia, but Ankara has maintained its own channels with Yerevan and has only asked Russia to encourage Armenia to be more forward leaning and to respond to Turkish openings. Burhan did not call Russia an obstacle to normalizing relations with Armenia, but surmised that improved Turkish-Armenian relations would inevitably pull Armenia away from its dependency on Russia. Given recent events in the region, Moscow might be more wary than ever of losing its influence over the former Soviet republic with which it enjoys the closest ties, including military bases. LAVROV ENDORSES IRAQI TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY; ASKED TO LEAN ON IRAN TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO P5/1 OFFER -------------- ¶8. (C) Lavrov expressed to Babacan his support for Iraq's unity and territorial integrity and said PM Maliki seems resolute about the unity and sovereignty of his country. Babacan reportedly urged Lavrov that the P5/1 should stay on message and Iran should be encouraged to review carefully the latest proposal and respond positively. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey ANKARA 00001602 003 OF 003 WILSON