TURKEY: PREPARATIONS AND OUTLOOK FOR G-20

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001930

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2018
TAGS: EFIN KSUM PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: PREPARATIONS AND OUTLOOK FOR G-20
FINANCIAL SUMMIT

REF: A. ANKARA 1920

B. ANKARA 1898

Classified By: DCM DOUG SILLIMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 B, D


1. (C) Summary: DCM and Economic Counselor met November 6
with Turkish Summit Sherpa Selim Kuneralp and MFA Department
Head for Multilateral Economic Affairs Serap Ozcuksun to
discuss Turkish preparations for the G-20 Summit. Kuneralp
said the Prime Minister has not yet decided who will sit with
him in the Summit Plenary Session, nor how many ministers
will accompany him to Washington. They expect a decision
early next week. Ozcuksun said the GOT wants to see a
strengthened G-20 financial coordination mechanism as an
outcome of the Summit. In reviewing proposals for changes to
global financial architecture, Turkey wants to ensure that
there are no new barriers created either to trade or to free
flow of capital. She indicated that Turkey would also like
to see a call for completion of the Doha Round in the
Communique. These views are consistent with those of the
Turkish Treasury Ministry (see reftel B),which also wants a
strengthened G-20 role, with a strengthened IMF serving as
the coordination implementation agency. End summary.


2. (C) Kuneralp said that Prime Minister Erdogan will arrive
at Andrews AFB on November 13 via private plane from New
York, but did not yet have an arrival time. The Prime
Minister will attend a recption in New York celebrating
Turkey's election to the UN Security Council, then continue
to Washington for the G-20 meetings. Erdogan has not yet
decided which three officials will sit with him during the
Plenary Session. Treasury Minister Mehmed Simsek, Deputy
Prime Minister for Economic Coordination Nazim Ekren, and
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan may all travel with the Prime
Minister to the United States. Kuneralp and Treasury
Undersecretary Ibrahim Canakci also will join the delegation.
Kuneralp said the GOT understands the Plenary is limited to
leader plus three, but he does not expect the Prime Minister
to decide until early next week which three of these
officials will participate with him. (Note: Treasury Minister
Simsek told the Ambassador on November 5 that he and Deputy
Prime Minister Ekren would participate in the Summit. End
note.)


3. (C) Ozcuksun said the GOT wants to see a strengthened G-20
financial coordination mechanism as an outcome of the Summit.
Turkey sees the G-20 as the right grouping, representing the
right economic powers (including Turkey) to address the
crisis. MFA and the Treasury Ministry are reviewing
proposals for changes to the global financial architecture,
which Ozcuksun divided broadly into "evolutionary" and
"revolutionary" approaches. Ozcuksun said the GOT wants to
ensure that no new barriers to trade or to the free flow of
capital are created in response to the financial crisis.
Turkey would like to see a call for completion of the Doha
Round in the Summit Communique. She also indicated that
Turkey believes its 2001 banking sector reforms have
prevented the crisis from damaging the Turkish banking sector
and will look for an opportunity to offer its experience to
other G-20 members.


4. (C) Comment: We will continue to press the GOT to decide
on its Summit participation. The MFA's views on Summit
outcomes are consistent with those we heard from Treasury
Undersecretary Canakci (reftel B). Both have emphasized the
GOT's preference for a G-20 coordinating mechanism as a
Summit outcome. Canakci also wants to see a strengthened IMF
that serves as the G-20 coordination implementation agency,
but we do not know whether PM Erdogan will endorse those
views. End comment.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON