Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ANKARA559
2009-04-15 14:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY STILL UNDECIDED ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
how-toVZCZCXRO0478 RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #0559 1051403 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 151403Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9430 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000559
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
TAGS: AORC PREL ICJ KV TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY STILL UNDECIDED ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
REF: STATE 29385
Classified By: Acting POLCOUNS Christoper Krafft, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000559
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
TAGS: AORC PREL ICJ KV TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY STILL UNDECIDED ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
REF: STATE 29385
Classified By: Acting POLCOUNS Christoper Krafft, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) MFA Balkans Department Head Ahmet Riza Demirer told
us April 14 that MFA still has yet to decide if Turkey will
offer any submission (advisory opinion or written statement)
to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the
legality of the manner in which Kosovo declared independence.
2. (C) Comment: Despite being one of the first countries to
recognize Kosovo, Turkey chose not to vote on the
Serbian-sponsored UNGA ICJ resolution. At the time, the MFA
explained that it did not want to further harm Turkey's
bilateral relationship with Serbia. It has since ruminated
on submitting either an advisory opinion or written
statement; at times positing that it would be awkward to
participate in the ICJ process having not voted in UNGA.
Demirer confided April 14 that while Turkey supports Kosovo,
the MFA is uncomfortable with discussing the concept of "self
determination" and the possibility that Kosovo could
establish precedent for other regional frozen conflicts,
namely Nagorno-Karabakh. We have repeatedly emphasized that
"self determination" is not featured in the USG brief and
explained that Turkey can simply offer a written statement
reiterating Turkey's recognition of Kosovo, reserving the
right to comment further before the subsequent deadline in
July. As tensions increase between Turkey and Azerbaijan
over Armenia, it will become progressively less likely that
the GOT will take any step it believes could further fuel
them.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
Jeffrey
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/14/2019
TAGS: AORC PREL ICJ KV TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY STILL UNDECIDED ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
REF: STATE 29385
Classified By: Acting POLCOUNS Christoper Krafft, for reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) MFA Balkans Department Head Ahmet Riza Demirer told
us April 14 that MFA still has yet to decide if Turkey will
offer any submission (advisory opinion or written statement)
to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the
legality of the manner in which Kosovo declared independence.
2. (C) Comment: Despite being one of the first countries to
recognize Kosovo, Turkey chose not to vote on the
Serbian-sponsored UNGA ICJ resolution. At the time, the MFA
explained that it did not want to further harm Turkey's
bilateral relationship with Serbia. It has since ruminated
on submitting either an advisory opinion or written
statement; at times positing that it would be awkward to
participate in the ICJ process having not voted in UNGA.
Demirer confided April 14 that while Turkey supports Kosovo,
the MFA is uncomfortable with discussing the concept of "self
determination" and the possibility that Kosovo could
establish precedent for other regional frozen conflicts,
namely Nagorno-Karabakh. We have repeatedly emphasized that
"self determination" is not featured in the USG brief and
explained that Turkey can simply offer a written statement
reiterating Turkey's recognition of Kosovo, reserving the
right to comment further before the subsequent deadline in
July. As tensions increase between Turkey and Azerbaijan
over Armenia, it will become progressively less likely that
the GOT will take any step it believes could further fuel
them.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
Jeffrey