Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ANKARA542
2009-04-10 16:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
CALIFORNIA GENOCIDE BILL THREATENS U.S.-TURKEY
how-toVZCZCXRO5595 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #0542 1001625 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 101625Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9396 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// IMMEDIATE RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000542
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2019
TAGS: PREL TU
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIA GENOCIDE BILL THREATENS U.S.-TURKEY
RELATIONS
Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000542
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2019
TAGS: PREL TU
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIA GENOCIDE BILL THREATENS U.S.-TURKEY
RELATIONS
Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) MFA U/S Apakan conveyed to Ambassador April 10 the
following points on a bill before the California State
Assembly that would prohibit the state from contracting with
companies that have engaged with governments that are
perpetrators of genocide. He underscored the seriousness of
the matter and cautioned that the bill threatens to
dangerously impair U.S.-Turkey relations.
2. (C) BEGIN POINTS (AS RECEIVED):
-- A bill before the California State Assembly threatens to
dangerously impair our relations.
-- This bill would amend the California Public Contract Code,
section "State Acquisition of Good and Services" to prohibit
the State from contracting with companies which may have
engaged with governments that are perpetrators of genocide.
-- California State Legislature Assembly member Paul
Krekorian is the author of the bill which is tabled under
number AB 961.
-- This bill will be taken up by the Committee on Business
and Professions on 21 April.
-- The so-called Armenian Genocide is among the five events
considered as genocide.
-- This bill is clearly a ticking bomb threatening our
relations.
-- Our prominent companies and the Union of Chamber and
Commodity Exchanges Commerce are very concerned by this bill.
-- Turkey considers this bill as a poorly concealed attempt
to stigmatize Turkish companies as well as these companies
such as Nestle, Shell, BP, Deutsche Bank, Exxon, BNP Paribas
whose predecessors have done business in the Ottoman Empire.
-- We believe it conflicts with settled principles of
international law and directly intrude on the exclusive power
of your federal government to regulate foreign affairs.
-- It would be almost as damaging as the adoption of H.RES
252 in the Congress or a negative Presidential statement on
24th April.
-- You cannot say that this is a prerogative of the
California state as its consequences would involve your
country as a whole and will also affect Turkey as a whole as
well.
-- There is a precedent. The State of Massachusetts had
enacted a bill concerning companies that did business with
Burma. The Supreme Court then decided that it conflicted
with the U.S. Constitution. The ground was that the complete
responsibility for the conduct of foreign relations is upon
the federal government.
-- These are the main points I wanted to raise with you today
so that you can convey them urgently to Washington. We are
very much concerned about this initiative.
END POINTS.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
Jeffrey
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2019
TAGS: PREL TU
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIA GENOCIDE BILL THREATENS U.S.-TURKEY
RELATIONS
Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) MFA U/S Apakan conveyed to Ambassador April 10 the
following points on a bill before the California State
Assembly that would prohibit the state from contracting with
companies that have engaged with governments that are
perpetrators of genocide. He underscored the seriousness of
the matter and cautioned that the bill threatens to
dangerously impair U.S.-Turkey relations.
2. (C) BEGIN POINTS (AS RECEIVED):
-- A bill before the California State Assembly threatens to
dangerously impair our relations.
-- This bill would amend the California Public Contract Code,
section "State Acquisition of Good and Services" to prohibit
the State from contracting with companies which may have
engaged with governments that are perpetrators of genocide.
-- California State Legislature Assembly member Paul
Krekorian is the author of the bill which is tabled under
number AB 961.
-- This bill will be taken up by the Committee on Business
and Professions on 21 April.
-- The so-called Armenian Genocide is among the five events
considered as genocide.
-- This bill is clearly a ticking bomb threatening our
relations.
-- Our prominent companies and the Union of Chamber and
Commodity Exchanges Commerce are very concerned by this bill.
-- Turkey considers this bill as a poorly concealed attempt
to stigmatize Turkish companies as well as these companies
such as Nestle, Shell, BP, Deutsche Bank, Exxon, BNP Paribas
whose predecessors have done business in the Ottoman Empire.
-- We believe it conflicts with settled principles of
international law and directly intrude on the exclusive power
of your federal government to regulate foreign affairs.
-- It would be almost as damaging as the adoption of H.RES
252 in the Congress or a negative Presidential statement on
24th April.
-- You cannot say that this is a prerogative of the
California state as its consequences would involve your
country as a whole and will also affect Turkey as a whole as
well.
-- There is a precedent. The State of Massachusetts had
enacted a bill concerning companies that did business with
Burma. The Supreme Court then decided that it conflicted
with the U.S. Constitution. The ground was that the complete
responsibility for the conduct of foreign relations is upon
the federal government.
-- These are the main points I wanted to raise with you today
so that you can convey them urgently to Washington. We are
very much concerned about this initiative.
END POINTS.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
Jeffrey