TURKEY/ENR: STILL REVIEWING NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002168 SIPDIS EUR/SE, ISN/NESS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018 TAGS: KNNP ENRG ETTC MNUC PARM TRGY TU SUBJECT: TURKEY/ENR: STILL REVIEWING NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP ENR GUIDELINES REF: A. ANKARA 2126 ¶B. SECSTATE 132033 Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Anthony Godfrey, Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Following Ambassador's 12/15 meeting with MFA U/S Apakan (ref a),Pol-Mil Couns met with MFA DDG Ahmet Gun on 12/23 to press GOT to support the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) guidelines on the transfer of enrichment and reprocessing technology (ENR),drawing on reftel guidance. DDG Gun said the GOT is still reviewing the draft guidelines, but remain concerned by language in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the ad ref text. He noted Turkey shares concerns expressed by Spain and Switzerland. Specifically, Gun said the GOT believes it has the right to pursue nuclear enrichment under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and fears that the proposed guidelines will effectively force Turkey to give up that right. Gun made clear there is no government decision to pursue nuclear enrichment at this point, but that the GOT does not want to foreclose that option. He said one possibility the MFA is considering is to propose langauge in the text of the guidelines that would "exempt those who respect the conditions listed in para 6 from the restrictions enumerated in para 7." Gun said the GOT will be prepared to make clear its concerns ahead of the January 14 meeting of the NSG Consultative Group in Vienna, but would not commit to a date when GOT comments should be expected. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey Jeffrey