TURKEY ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE AND

UNCLAS ANKARA 002050 SIPDIS EEB FOR MIKAEL LURIE AND JANET SPECK DEPT PLEASE PASS USAID FOR BILL HAMMINK USDA FOR KIRK MILLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR TBIO EAID PGOV SUBJECT: TURKEY ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD REF: STATE 123480 ¶1. Ag Counselor delivered reftel talking points to Selma Ayture at the External Relations Division at the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs (MARA) on Nov. 25. She replied that they were aware of the initiative but said there had been no coordinated discussion within the ministry. She also noted that no other G-8 government had raised the issue with them and suggested that an official reaction would be hastened by delivering the talking points in an official letter to MARA Minister Eker. Ag Counselor will prepare and deliver such a letter. ¶2. We scheduled an appointment on Nov. 25 to meet with the MFA Office of Multilateral Economic Affairs on the GPAF proposal, but the responsible MFA interlocutor missed the appointment due to illness. Post will reschedule the meeting and report on any response either from MFA or MARA. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey SILLIMAN