Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA903
2008-05-09 16:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
LEBANON NEEDS ITS FRIENDS - TURKEY
how-toVZCZCXRO9980 OO RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHAK #0903 1301647 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 091647Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6237 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0352 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0948 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 4280 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0452 RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0241 RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT 0887 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3235 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5591 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5444 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 0644 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 6711 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3004 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000903
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO ALL NEAR EAST COLLECTIVE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE TU
SUBJECT: LEBANON NEEDS ITS FRIENDS - TURKEY
REF: SECSTATE 49259
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000903
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO ALL NEAR EAST COLLECTIVE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE TU
SUBJECT: LEBANON NEEDS ITS FRIENDS - TURKEY
REF: SECSTATE 49259
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (c) We spoke separately on May 9 with Turkish
Presidency/Prime Ministry foreign affairs advisor Ahmet
Davutoglu, MFA U/S Apakan and MFA Syria desk officer Cem
Ulusoy regarding Lebanon. Drawing on reftel points, we
emphasized the need for Turkey to be as fully supportive now
as possible of the Lebanese government and also use its
influence in Damascus to calm the situation at a critical
time.
2. (c) Davutoglu and Apakan agreed completely on the urgency
of the situation and the need for more effective work in
Damascus and Beirut. Davutoglu told Ambassador that Turkey
has been deeply engaged with Syrian President Asad and key
Lebanese over the past week. He said this has included
multiple phone conversations by PM Erdogan and Davutoglu
himself with Asad, Lebanese PM Siniora, Parliament Speaker
Berri, Saad Hariri, and Siniora advisor Chattah. The trust
of the Erdogan's interventions has been to urge calm and
steps to reduce tensions. Erdogan had been particularly
tough on Asad, who reportedly claimed insufficient influence
with Hezbollah, which now takes its order more from Tehran.
3. (c) Davutoglu added that Turkey's specific suggestions in
Beirut on ways to clam the situation had, unfortunately, not
been taken up by Siniora. Nasrallah's recent speech has now
made conciliation very difficult. Today's turn of events
left Davutoglu very pessimistic and at a loss for how to
proceed. He had spoken with the Turkish ambassador in Beirut
immediately prior to our conversation with him, and the
latter would be re-engaging with the parties there.
Davutoglu expressed surprise with what he called a passive
stance on the ground in Beirut by such key countries as Saudi
Arabia and Egypt.
4. (c) Ulusoy repeated the comment by Asad about alleged
limits to Syrian influence. He told us that Turkey has taken
swift steps to intercept Iranian weapons shipments bound for
Lebanon via Syria when presented with accurate and actionable
information. He said the MFA plans to release a statement
today calling for the cessation of violence and underscoring
the importance of dialogue.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
DEPT PASS TO ALL NEAR EAST COLLECTIVE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE TU
SUBJECT: LEBANON NEEDS ITS FRIENDS - TURKEY
REF: SECSTATE 49259
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ROSS WILSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (c) We spoke separately on May 9 with Turkish
Presidency/Prime Ministry foreign affairs advisor Ahmet
Davutoglu, MFA U/S Apakan and MFA Syria desk officer Cem
Ulusoy regarding Lebanon. Drawing on reftel points, we
emphasized the need for Turkey to be as fully supportive now
as possible of the Lebanese government and also use its
influence in Damascus to calm the situation at a critical
time.
2. (c) Davutoglu and Apakan agreed completely on the urgency
of the situation and the need for more effective work in
Damascus and Beirut. Davutoglu told Ambassador that Turkey
has been deeply engaged with Syrian President Asad and key
Lebanese over the past week. He said this has included
multiple phone conversations by PM Erdogan and Davutoglu
himself with Asad, Lebanese PM Siniora, Parliament Speaker
Berri, Saad Hariri, and Siniora advisor Chattah. The trust
of the Erdogan's interventions has been to urge calm and
steps to reduce tensions. Erdogan had been particularly
tough on Asad, who reportedly claimed insufficient influence
with Hezbollah, which now takes its order more from Tehran.
3. (c) Davutoglu added that Turkey's specific suggestions in
Beirut on ways to clam the situation had, unfortunately, not
been taken up by Siniora. Nasrallah's recent speech has now
made conciliation very difficult. Today's turn of events
left Davutoglu very pessimistic and at a loss for how to
proceed. He had spoken with the Turkish ambassador in Beirut
immediately prior to our conversation with him, and the
latter would be re-engaging with the parties there.
Davutoglu expressed surprise with what he called a passive
stance on the ground in Beirut by such key countries as Saudi
Arabia and Egypt.
4. (c) Ulusoy repeated the comment by Asad about alleged
limits to Syrian influence. He told us that Turkey has taken
swift steps to intercept Iranian weapons shipments bound for
Lebanon via Syria when presented with accurate and actionable
information. He said the MFA plans to release a statement
today calling for the cessation of violence and underscoring
the importance of dialogue.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON