MFA U/S APAKAN TALKS CYPRUS, N-K, AEGEAN, AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000670 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2029 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV OVIP CY GR TU SUBJECT: MFA U/S APAKAN TALKS CYPRUS, N-K, AEGEAN, AND MORE; FM DAVUTOGLU LOOKING FOR S MEETING IN DC REF: ANKARA 666 Classified By: Ambassador James Jeffrey for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) ACTION REQUESTS in Paras 4 and 6. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: Turkey is concerned about signs that contrary to GOT expectations of US efforts to lessen the isolation of Turkish Cypriots, it appears the USG is actually making decisions that have the opposite effect. The GOT is extremely concerned about the negative impact the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision on the Orams property case will have on comprehensive settlement negotiations. It hopes the US, UN, and others will weigh in with the UK and the EU to urge that such court decisions which have a clear political motivation and impact be frozen until a settlement can be achieved. President Gul and U/S Apakan look forward to meetings later in the day with Azeri President Aliyev and Armenian President Sargsian and are hoping to make progress on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. GOT officials are still considering how to move forward on providing additional support to Afghanistan, while they would like to see progress in organizing a regional investment conference on Iraq. MFA will look into continued Greek claims of overflights of Greek islands by Turkish military aircraft, though Apakan said GOG "exaggerated claims" in the past lead MFA to view such complaints with skepticism. He will need to consult with political leaders before determining the GOT's ability to consider accepting Uighur detainees from Guantanamo. Apakan noted newly appointed FM Ahmet Davutoglu would like to meet soon with Secretary Clinton. Davutoglu is considering a visit to the United States at the end of May and early June to attend the opening session of the UN Security Council under the Turkish presidency and the American Turkish Council meetings in Washington, DC, and would like to combine that visit with an initial meeting with the Secretary. END SUMMARY ¶3. (C) Ambassador met May 7 with MFA U/S Ertugrul Apakan to discuss a number of outstanding issues. During the tour d'horizon, Apakan conveyed to Ambassador a diplomatic note providing Turkish views on the way forward on a historical review of events associated with 1915 (septel). DAVUTOGLU TO WASHINGTON; MEETING WITH S? -------------- ¶4. (C) Apakan indicated newly appointed Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is hoping to make his first visit as minister to the United States at the end of May/early June. He would like to attend the American Turkish Council Conference in Washington as well and is hoping to be able to meet with Secretary Clinton on the front end of that visit. ACTION REQUEST: Please advise if Secretary Clinton is available and willing to meet with Davutoglu in the late May/early June time frame. CYPRUS -------------- ¶5. (C) Apakan raised concerns expressed to him by Turkish Cypriot officials during the initial visit of newly appointed Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on May 6. Apakan said there appears now to be an issue regarding the continued ability of Embassy Nicosia to issue visas on a separate paper to "TRNC" passport holders. Apakan alluded to a dispute between State and DHS on the matter. Apakan also conveyed "TRNC" concerns about the notification its representative in Washington had received that Talat and future "TRNC" leaders will no longer be eligible for a Diplomatic Security protective detail during visits to the US. Ambassador noted he had not previously heard of the visa problem, was aware of the security issue, and would look into both and get back to him with the facts. (NOTE: Post subsequently consulted with Embassy Nicosia and understands the visa issue is resolved. END NOTE) Apakan said these issues arise just as the GOT is hoping to see steps from the USG to further ease the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots as a way to further bolster the settlement negotiations. Instead, it seems Washington is moving in the opposite direction. ¶6. (C) Apakan also expressed dismay over the European Court of Justice decision on the Orams property case. He noted the decision gives the Greek Cypriots "sweeping jurisdiction" over the Turkish Cypriots and posited that the point of comprehensive settlement negotiations is to establish a new partnership on the island, not simply to "resume the old Republic of Cyprus." Apakan said the GOT hopes the USG and UN officials will convey their concerns to the UK and the EU and "call for court decisions on such matters to be frozen until a settlement is reached," adding that the ruling on such a politically charged issue should not be allowed to negatively impact settlement negotiations. Referring to court decisions in the 1980s and 90s on direct flights to Ercan and cutting off citrus exports directly to EU countries, he called this yet another effort to derail the negotiating process. Apakan noted he had called in HMG Amb. Baird and President Gul had called PM Brown on this issue and said the GOT would continue to work hard to try to keep the negotiating process on track, and vowed Turkish support for Talat's efforts to reach a deal. ACTION REQUEST: Department, as appropriate, raise this issue with the UN, EU and UK. NAGORNO-KARABAKH -------------- ¶7. (C) Apakan indicated he will accompany President Gul later in the day on his visit to Prague to attend the dinner hosted by the Czechs for participants in the Eastern Partnership Summit, as well as the May 8 Southern Corridor Summit. Ambassador conveyed USG hope that meetings involving Azeri President Aliyev, Armenian President Sargsian, and Gul will help achieve momentum on some of the outstanding issues concerning Nagorno-Karabakh with which the Minsk Group has been grappling for some time. Ambassador also noted PM Erdogan's planned May 12 visit to Baku and May 16 visit to Sochi could be very helpful in seeking a breakthrough on Nagorno-Karabakh. AFGHANISTAN/IRAQ -------------- ¶8. (C) Ambassador requested further information on the GOT's plans to enhance its support for Afghanistan, particularly on civilian efforts. Apakan said the GOT continues to develop its plan and is not yet in a position to discuss it with us, but hopes to do so soon. On Iraq, Apakan expressed continued GOT interest in hosting a regional investment conference to encourage investment in Iraq and asked that the US and Turkey continue to consult and cooperate on this. AEGEAN -------------- ¶9. (C) Ambassador referred to Deputy U/S Haydar Berk's planned visit to Athens for a Turkey-Greece Steering Group meeting and asked about recent reports of alleged Turkish overflights of Greek islands in the Aegean. Apakan said MFA would look into the GOG complaints. He did not dismiss the possibility that such overflights had occurred, and differentiated the issue from the normal Greek complaints that we routinely raise, but said exaggerated claims by the GOG in the past make him and MFA somewhat skeptical (see reftel). UIGHUR RESETTLEMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) Ambassador raised the possibility that Turkey might consider favorably a formal USG request to accept for resettlement ethnic Uighurs currently in custody at Guantanamo Bay. Turks, Ambassador pointed out, applauded like so many others the President's decision to close Guantanamo. But as a strategic partner, we need them to do some heavy lifting to make the decision feasible. Apakan again indicated the need for a political level decision and said he would get back to us on the matter. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey Jeffrey