Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA237
2008-02-11 06:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: SUPPORTS LEBANON, NOW AND ALWAYS, BUT
how-toVZCZCXRO4395 RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO DE RUEHAK #0237 0420633 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 110633Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5174 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000237
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV LE SY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: SUPPORTS LEBANON, NOW AND ALWAYS, BUT
DIFFERS ON APPROACH TO SARG
REF: STATE 10786
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000237
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV LE SY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: SUPPORTS LEBANON, NOW AND ALWAYS, BUT
DIFFERS ON APPROACH TO SARG
REF: STATE 10786
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) We conveyed reftel points on support for Lebanon
February 8 to MFA Department Head for Middle East Kerem
Kiratli and Lebanon/Syria Desk Officer Cem Ulusoy. Kiratli
said he would convey the substance of the demarche to Deputy
Under Secretary Sinirlioglu and Under Secretary Apakan. He
emphasized the GOT's consistent support for PM Siniora's
government in Lebanon and continued engagement in seeking a
resolution to Lebanon's political crisis.
2. (C) Ulusoy said the GOT had already transferred $150,000
to the UN to support start-up costs of the Special Tribunal
and would take under consideration the request to consider a
pledge for support of the Tribunal's future operational
costs. He noted the GOT had also put forward to the UN the
names of two Turkish attorneys to participate on the Tribunal
but had not yet received a response. The GOT, he added, has
seconded a Turkish police official to the UN Independent
Investigation Commission since its inception to assist with
the investigation into the Hariri assassination.
3. (C) MFA officials had no comment on the possibility of
Turkish economic assistance to Lebanon, but did note that
provision of assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces in the
form of training was under consideration. Ulusoy did not
think material assistance to the LAF would be possible.
4. (C) COMMENT: While GOT political support for Siniora/March
14 will continue, the Turkish approach has been to seek to
engage Damascus to ensure that any resolution to Lebanon's
political crisis has Syrian support. In that context, public
condemnation of the SARG and the negative role it plays in
Lebanon is likely out of the question. Rather, the GOT will
continue to speak with Asad and Damascus in strong terms
privately, and seek to gain SARG support for the Arab League
process. The GOT sees the Arab League process as the
approach most likely to succeed. Its effort to encourage
positive behavior by the SARG stands a better chance of
success than continued attempts to isolate Damascus. We
noted recent European engagement of the SARG had seemed to
have just the opposite effect. END COMMENT.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/ELA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/08/2018
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM EFIN EINV LE SY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: SUPPORTS LEBANON, NOW AND ALWAYS, BUT
DIFFERS ON APPROACH TO SARG
REF: STATE 10786
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) We conveyed reftel points on support for Lebanon
February 8 to MFA Department Head for Middle East Kerem
Kiratli and Lebanon/Syria Desk Officer Cem Ulusoy. Kiratli
said he would convey the substance of the demarche to Deputy
Under Secretary Sinirlioglu and Under Secretary Apakan. He
emphasized the GOT's consistent support for PM Siniora's
government in Lebanon and continued engagement in seeking a
resolution to Lebanon's political crisis.
2. (C) Ulusoy said the GOT had already transferred $150,000
to the UN to support start-up costs of the Special Tribunal
and would take under consideration the request to consider a
pledge for support of the Tribunal's future operational
costs. He noted the GOT had also put forward to the UN the
names of two Turkish attorneys to participate on the Tribunal
but had not yet received a response. The GOT, he added, has
seconded a Turkish police official to the UN Independent
Investigation Commission since its inception to assist with
the investigation into the Hariri assassination.
3. (C) MFA officials had no comment on the possibility of
Turkish economic assistance to Lebanon, but did note that
provision of assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces in the
form of training was under consideration. Ulusoy did not
think material assistance to the LAF would be possible.
4. (C) COMMENT: While GOT political support for Siniora/March
14 will continue, the Turkish approach has been to seek to
engage Damascus to ensure that any resolution to Lebanon's
political crisis has Syrian support. In that context, public
condemnation of the SARG and the negative role it plays in
Lebanon is likely out of the question. Rather, the GOT will
continue to speak with Asad and Damascus in strong terms
privately, and seek to gain SARG support for the Arab League
process. The GOT sees the Arab League process as the
approach most likely to succeed. Its effort to encourage
positive behavior by the SARG stands a better chance of
success than continued attempts to isolate Damascus. We
noted recent European engagement of the SARG had seemed to
have just the opposite effect. END COMMENT.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON