TURKEY: OBAMA SPEECH HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000799 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019 TAGS: PREL TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: OBAMA SPEECH HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Turkish public widely welcomed the open and sincere tone of President Obama's June 4 speech to the Muslim world from Cairo. Reflecting statements by other Turkish political and religious leaders, President Gul complimented Obama for being honest and realistic. Particular attention was given to his neutral position on the Arab-Israeli conflict; advocating both for Palestinian and Israeli rights. While the media picked up on Obama's references to a woman's right to wear a headscarf, neither the opposition parties nor the Turk on the street are making an issue of it, perhaps due to Obama's high popularity. Pleased with President Obama's message, the Turks are now looking to Washington for concrete steps forward, particularly on issues of national interest such as Iraq, Iran, and the Middle East peace process (MEPP). End Summary -------------- Warm Response to Honesty, Sincerity -------------- ¶2. (C) As reported in the Turkish press, President Gul complimented Obama's speech as honest and realistic, saying, "With his remarks and promises today, Obama showed once again that he is a constructive leader and that partnership for peace and stability is possible with Islamic countries." Both Gul and PM Erdogan commented that Obama shares the prevalent regional view. FM Davutoglu said to the media "Obama's speech in Cairo was a follow-up to his speech in the Turkish Parliament. We agree with his messages in principle, however, the international public, including the U.S., should take more active initiatives regarding these issues." Istanbul Mufti Mustafa Cagrici stated, "I think it's a first in history that a western statesman delivered a speech which wandered deeply into Islamic references." The opposition parties have not yet publicly commented on President Obama's speech. ¶3. (C) Middle East Technical University (METU) International Relations Department Head Meliha Altunisik characterized Obama's speech as pragmatic, a welcome departure from the previous administration's ideological tone used when addressing the Muslim world. His emphasis on dialogue and tolerance, she added, mirrors Turkey's regional policy and was well received by the Turkish audience. MFA Israel/Palestine Desk Officer Rauf Denktas noted that Obama's call to halt expansion of Israeli settlements, to engage the Palestinians, to advance movements on all MEPP tracks, and for Jews, Muslims, and Christians to peacefully share Jerusalem mirror top GOT regional priorities. Hurriyet columnist Ferai Tinc said in a television interview that for the first time, an American president spoke openly and directly to the Israelis and Palestinians. In his speech, Obama gave the picture of a mediator who stands at an equal distance to both sides. The media also highlighted President Obama's acknowledgment of Turkey's leadership role in the Alliance of Civilizations. -------------- The Headscarf Issue -------------- ¶4. (C) The Turkish public and political apparatus paid little attention to Obama's two references to a woman's right to wear a headscarf, a hot button issue in Turkey, focusing instead on his broader meaning. Altunisik commented that most Turks understood the context of Obama's speech as a message to the entire Muslim world, one in line with the U.S. understanding of secularism. The Turkish secular media, however, took note. Secularist "Cumhuriyet" wrote that Obama supports the headscarf and emphasized that women should not be denied an education based upon what they wear, but stopped short of criticizing his statement. Mainstream "Haberturk" lead with the headline, "In Ankara He Is Secularist, In Egypt He Is a Headscarf Supporter." Far right "Tercuman" reported "Obama demands support for the freedom of the headscarf." Islamist-oriented "Yeni Safak" highlighted that headscarf wearing women in the U.S. are protected by law. Had another USG officials made similar statements, it is highly unlikely the secularists would have remained silent. Given Obama's popularity here and the warm international response to the Cairo speech, however, few are likely to focus on that narrow issue. ANKARA 00000799 002 OF 002 -------------- Actions Speak Louder Than Words -------------- ¶5. (C) Comment: The President's speech hit a home run in Turkey. Nevertheless, all Turks we spoke with fear that the high expectations set by Obama's outreach to the Muslim world will be difficult to meet, and they are now looking for tangible actions and quick movement forward. From the Turkish perspective, this can best be achieved by: continuing our efforts to stabilize Iraq, including facilitating resolution of the Kirkuk issue and addressing the presence of the PKK in northern Iraq; maintaining rapprochement efforts with Iran; further engaging Turkey in the MEPP; adopting a more broad-based approach to Afghanistan; engaging Hamas; and acknowledging and taking steps to correct past American mistakes such as Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. Despite the positive impact of the President's speech, however, our interlocutors from across the political spectrum emphasized that the U.S. media's message is equally powerful. The oft negative portrayal of Muslims on American television series and talk news programs undermines the credibility of Obama's constructive affirmations of Islam. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey SILLIMAN