Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1885
2008-10-30 10:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: MFA DISCUSSES UNSC PREPARATIONS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHAK #1885 3041042 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 301042Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7838 INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4910 RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5//
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001885
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PREL UNSC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: MFA DISCUSSES UNSC PREPARATIONS
REF: RICE-BABACAN 10/23/2008 LETTER
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001885
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PREL UNSC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: MFA DISCUSSES UNSC PREPARATIONS
REF: RICE-BABACAN 10/23/2008 LETTER
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) This is an action request for the Department. Please
see para 4 below.
2. (C) MFA Director General for Multilateral Political
Affairs Hasan Gogus told DCM October 26 the GOT has begun
initial preparations for Turkey's 2009-2011 non-permanent
UNSC tenure. Gogus reported MFA has yet to decide whether
Turkey's Mission in New York or the Foreign Ministry in
Ankara will take the lead in the decision making process,
noting that it may be issue driven. To accommodate the
increased workload that comes with UNSC membership, the MFA
plans to plus up its UN Mission with a second ambassador and
5-6 additional staff which will constitute a separate UNSC
section. In Ankara, MFA officials are still debating how to
deal with the additional workload. Gogus said that the MFA
has not yet decided on which issues the UN Department will
take the lead on and on which the appropriate regional office
will take the lead.
3. (C) Per the offer in the Secretary's letter to FM Babacan,
the MFA is preparing a delegation to visit Washington for
UNSC consultations. Gogus asked at what level the Turkish
delegation would be received and what the structure and
duration of the consultations would be. He asked for
suggestions on appropriate level and composition of the
delegation, and whether the trip would include visits to both
Washington and New York.
4. (C) ACTION REQUEST: IO/UNP and USUN please provide answers
to Ambassador Gogus' questions above. Information e-mailed
answers are fine. Please contact Embassy Ankara's UNSC
coordinator PolOff Jenifer Moore.
4. (C) COMMENT: The MFA's UN Department is located in a
somewhat run-down annex on a side street near the gleaming
new MFA complex. Its physical location and state underscore
that Turkey has not placed great emphasis on its UN policy,
preferring to work through other groups like NATO and OSCE.
Domestic critics within the bureaucracy, academia, and the
media have already begun to question whether Turkey -- which
has been shy in taking firm position on UN issues outside its
core interests -- will be able to face the hard policy
choices as an UNSC non-permanent member. Nevertheless, in
the week since winning the UNSC seat, the MFA has begun to
contemplate seriously how it is going to deal with both the
increased workload and the influx of new issues with which
Turkey will have to grapple on the UNSC. Washington
consultations will be crucial in helping the MFA understand
Turkey's important new role and focus on the new issues it
will face. We should seek out and take advantage of all
opportunities to educate the Turkish MFA and senior policy
makers on UNSC issues through expert visits, briefings, and
demarches.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: PREL UNSC TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: MFA DISCUSSES UNSC PREPARATIONS
REF: RICE-BABACAN 10/23/2008 LETTER
Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) This is an action request for the Department. Please
see para 4 below.
2. (C) MFA Director General for Multilateral Political
Affairs Hasan Gogus told DCM October 26 the GOT has begun
initial preparations for Turkey's 2009-2011 non-permanent
UNSC tenure. Gogus reported MFA has yet to decide whether
Turkey's Mission in New York or the Foreign Ministry in
Ankara will take the lead in the decision making process,
noting that it may be issue driven. To accommodate the
increased workload that comes with UNSC membership, the MFA
plans to plus up its UN Mission with a second ambassador and
5-6 additional staff which will constitute a separate UNSC
section. In Ankara, MFA officials are still debating how to
deal with the additional workload. Gogus said that the MFA
has not yet decided on which issues the UN Department will
take the lead on and on which the appropriate regional office
will take the lead.
3. (C) Per the offer in the Secretary's letter to FM Babacan,
the MFA is preparing a delegation to visit Washington for
UNSC consultations. Gogus asked at what level the Turkish
delegation would be received and what the structure and
duration of the consultations would be. He asked for
suggestions on appropriate level and composition of the
delegation, and whether the trip would include visits to both
Washington and New York.
4. (C) ACTION REQUEST: IO/UNP and USUN please provide answers
to Ambassador Gogus' questions above. Information e-mailed
answers are fine. Please contact Embassy Ankara's UNSC
coordinator PolOff Jenifer Moore.
4. (C) COMMENT: The MFA's UN Department is located in a
somewhat run-down annex on a side street near the gleaming
new MFA complex. Its physical location and state underscore
that Turkey has not placed great emphasis on its UN policy,
preferring to work through other groups like NATO and OSCE.
Domestic critics within the bureaucracy, academia, and the
media have already begun to question whether Turkey -- which
has been shy in taking firm position on UN issues outside its
core interests -- will be able to face the hard policy
choices as an UNSC non-permanent member. Nevertheless, in
the week since winning the UNSC seat, the MFA has begun to
contemplate seriously how it is going to deal with both the
increased workload and the influx of new issues with which
Turkey will have to grapple on the UNSC. Washington
consultations will be crucial in helping the MFA understand
Turkey's important new role and focus on the new issues it
will face. We should seek out and take advantage of all
opportunities to educate the Turkish MFA and senior policy
makers on UNSC issues through expert visits, briefings, and
demarches.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON