Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE65812
2008-06-18 21:32:00
SECRET
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

Secretary Rice's Meeting with Turkish FM

Tags:  OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA PREL PTER PGOV 
pdf how-to read a cable
O 182132Z JUN 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 
INFO AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 
USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T STATE 065812 

E.O. 12958: DECL: AS: 06/05/2028
TAGS: OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA PREL PTER PGOV
IZ, IR, TU
SUBJECT: Secretary Rice's Meeting with Turkish FM
Babacan in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2008.

S E C R E T STATE 065812

E.O. 12958: DECL: AS: 06/05/2028
TAGS: OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA PREL PTER PGOV
IZ, IR, TU
SUBJECT: Secretary Rice's Meeting with Turkish FM
Babacan in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2008.


1. (U) Classified by Kurt Volker, EUR/FO. Reasons:
1.4(b) and (d).


2. (U) Participants:

United States
Secretary Rice
S/CT Coordinator Ambassador Dailey
NEA Assistant Secretary C. David Welch
PA Sean McCormack
EUR Acting Assistant Secretary Kurt Volker
ISN Acting Assistant Secretary Patty McNerney
SCA Acting Assistant Secretary Don Camp
EUR/SE Acting Director Baxter Hunt
EUR/SE Turkey Desk Officer Paul Malik (notetaker)

Turkey
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan
Ambassador Nabi Sensoy
Deputy Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs Haydar
Berk
Deputy Undersecretary for the Middle East Feridun
Sinirlioglu
Ersin Ercin, Deputy Director General for Americas
Burak Ozugergin, Deputy Director General and
Spokesman
Deputy Chief of Mission Burak Akcapar
Damla Say, Head of Department for Americas
Counselor Murat Karagoz (notetaker)


3. (S) SUMMARY: In Babacan's first official visit
to the State Department, the Secretary spoke of the
close working relationship with Turkey in many key
areas. He thanked the Secretary for U.S.
cooperation with Turkey in combating PKK terrorism.
The Secretary assured Babacan of strong U.S. support
for Turkey's EU vocation. The Secretary thanked
Turkey for its role in helping Iraqi officials
understand the advantages of a Status of Forces
Agreement (SOFA),but stressed our concerns over
Turkey introducing new elements into the Iraqi
election law. Babacan returned repeatedly to
Turkey's proposed participatory formula for Kirkuk.
Both the Secretary and Babacan expressed optimism
for a renewed Cyprus settlement process under UN
auspices. The Secretary asked Babacan for
additional flexibility in EU-NATO cooperation,
including by agreeing on the KFOR OpPlan before the
upcoming NATO MOD's meeting. Babacan said Turkey
supports closer NATO-EU relations, but that the
sinking of the Annan Plan on Cyprus in 2004 had
poisoned relations between the two organizations.
The Secretary thanked Babacan for the constructive
role Turkey has played in Lebanon, but cautioned not
to allow the Syrians and Lebanese minority to hijack

the elections. Finally, the Secretary expressed her
belief that Iran would not accept the recent P5/1
package, and pressed Turkey to support efforts to
impose additional sanctions against Tehran. Babacan
reiterated his government's opposition to Iran's
nuclear and missile proliferation ambitions, but
seemed surprised by the Secretary's warning not to
underestimate U.S. will. END SUMMARY.


4. (S) Following a restricted bilateral meeting
between Secretary Rice and Turkish Foreign Minister
Babacan, the expanded meeting atmospherics were very
positive but frank. Both the Secretary and FM
Babacan underscored their close and frequent
cooperation on a host of interests, acknowledging
the two countries shared the same values. Babacan
noted that, although Turkey and the United States
share the same goals, each takes its own route to
achieve them. He added that Turkey is seeking to
expand its influence beyond its own neighborhood by
opening an additional 15 embassies in sub-Saharan
Africa, as well as more in Latin America, and new
consulates in India. Turkey and its successful
reform program, undertaken as part of the EU
accession process, are seen as an example for
others.


5. (S) Babacan criticized French President Sarkozy
for undermining Turkey's EU accession negotiations,
citing new proposed French constitutional reforms
that will discriminate against Turkey (by requiring
a referendum on Turkish EU membership, but not that
of other current aspirants). This latest potential
setback came on top of the five chapters that the
French had earlier frozen, and continued unhelpful
rhetoric. He asked that Turkey be treated fairly
and not prejudged. The Secretary reassured Babacan
that the United States is highly supportive of
Turkey's accession and suggested the Europeans would
be making a strategic error if they drew the line at
Turkey. She said we could raise the issue next week
during the President's visit to France, with the aim
of quieting the rhetoric, and keeping the process
going and chapters open. Babacan was appreciative
and said that his government's April 2007 EU roadmap
kept domestic reforms moving forward on all fronts,
regardless of the negative rhetoric from some
European capitals. He lamented the fact that
Turkish public support for EU accession had dropped
from about 75% in 2004 to 50% currently.



6. (S) On the PKK and Iraq, Babacan heartily
thanked the Secretary for support against the PKK,
citing the November 5, 2007, meeting between Prime
Minister Erdogan and President Bush as a watershed
that also helped boost U.S. approval ratings in
Turkey. Babacan talked of Turkey's new strategic
dialogue with Iraq, the Talabani visit to Turkey,
and the impending visit of Erdogan to Baghdad. But,
he also warned that the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) needed to move to interdict the
PKK. The Secretary thanked Turkey for the role it
is playing in educating Iraqi officials about how a
SOFA can help to build an enduring relationship
without undermining sovereignty.


7. (S) The Secretary warned Babacan that Turkey's
proposal for a power-sharing deal in Kirkuk was
unhelpful and threatened to derail an agreement on
Kirkuk, which had been close to conclusion before
the Turks became involved. She pressed Babacan to
take his cues from the UN Assistance Mission Iraq
(UNAMI) and Di Mistura. Babacan, clearly not
grasping the Secretary's tone, argued that the
multicultural nature of Kirkuk and the forced
repopulation of the city demanded the kind of
formula the Turks were proposing. He claimed that
Talabani shares this view. The Secretary retorted
that there was no consensus on the formula and that
it would have exactly the opposite effect, making
people suspicious. The best guidance comes from
UNAMI and any new elements at this late stage will
only torpedo a fragile compromise, she added.
Babacan took a third run, arguing that Turkish
Special Envoy for Iraq Ozcelik had already met with
Nechirvan Barzani but believed Massoud Barzani held
the key to reaching consensus on acceptance of the
Turkish formula. The Secretary recommended that
Babacan have Ozcelik discuss this further with
Ambassador Satterfield.


8. (S) In response to Babacan's question regarding
the status of the Iraqi hydrocarbons law, the
Secretary said that the holdups are not because of
revenue sharing or contracting issues, but really
the role of the state, and that it should be
resolved soon. She said that Nechirvan Barzani, in
his recent Washington visit, said that the law would
be discussed in Baghdad. It appears that an Iraqi
state oil company would make the Kurds nervous about
attracting capital and foreign investment. Babacan
reminded the Secretary that, on the margins of the
recent Iraq Compact meeting in Stockholm, he had
told her that Iraq appears to have excluded Turkish
companies from the initial list of 45 companies
approved for the oil/gas sector. He hoped to see
Turkish companies on the next list, especially since
Turkey is keen to help get Iraqi oil/gas to European
markets.


9. (S) The election of President Cristofias in
Cyprus ushered in renewed optimism for an UN-led
settlement process on the island, Babacan and the
Secretary agreed. Babacan said that Turkey fully
supports the ongoing technical committee and working
group meetings, and expects an end of June
announcement about the comprehensive negotiations.
He cautioned that it is paramount that well-
established UN parameters for a bizonal, bicommunal
state be honored. Babacan characterized the June 4
London statement from Christofias and the UK's
Gordon Brown as unhelpful, changing the parameters
away from the Annan Plan and toward Government of
Cyprus negotiating positions. She said that
President Bush had worked hard in 2004 to get both
communities on Cyprus to agree to the Annan Plan,
and when it failed, the Secretary told the Cypriot
and Greek governments that it had been a "wasted
opportunity."


10. (S) The Secretary asked Babacan to be more
flexible on NATO-EU cooperation. Babacan noted that
Cyprus unfortunately has negatively impacted EU-NATO
cooperation. He said that they had discussed this
at NATO, but that NATO SecGen de Hoop Scheffer
encouraged the EU also to take this up directly.
Babacan claimed that Turkey supports greater
cooperation with the EU, and between the EU and
NATO, but that this is being systematically blocked
by the EU because of Cyprus. That said, Turkey has
conducted informal meetings and struck arrangements
on important issues, such as Kosovo. EUR PDAS
Volker urged Babacan to allow the KFOR Op Plan,
which is currently stuck in the NATO military
committee, to move forward before the NATO Defense
Ministers' meeting. Language protecting Turkish
interests concerning Cyprus and the EU can be
negotiated in a cover note, Volker suggested, and
urged that the Turkish PermRep at NATO be authorized
to work this out with US Amb. Nuland. Babacan
responded that the Turkish General Staff has adopted
a strict position on the issue, but he would look
for ways to be flexible. On a related matter,
Babacan said that Serbian President Tadic had asked
for Turkish help with his government's coalition.


11. (S) The Secretary thanked Babacan for the
facilitative role Turkey is playing in the Syria-
Israel talks, as well as its constructive engagement
on Lebanon. She said the Lebanese majority needs
Turkish involvement so that Syria and the Lebanese
minority cannot hijack the elections. Turkey has a
positive role to play in preventing Syrian meddling.


12. (S) Babacan seemed surprised by the strong
message the Secretary delivered on Iran. She said
that Iran is lying to the IAEA and that it is
improving its enrichment capabilities. The
Secretary asked for Turkey's assistance in
supporting additional sanctions if Iran does not
accept the recent P5/1 package, which she did not
expect Tehran to do. Babacan said Turkey will
encourage Iran to take the package. Secretary Rice
said firmly that the message to deliver to Iran is
one of isolation. The United States cannot keep
waiting; time is short. We will take steps that
will be costly and painful for Iran, she said. The
United States should not be underestimated.

RICE