MFA ON NATO SECGEN'S FAREWELL VISIT AND NRC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000850

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958 DECL: 06/15/2019
TAGS: PREL RS USNATO TU
SUBJECT: MFA ON NATO SECGEN,S FAREWELL VISIT AND NRC

Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Anthony Godfrey, 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: NATO and Euro-Atlantic Security Affairs
Department Head Gulhan Ulutekin provided a readout of NATO
Sec Gen Jaap de Hoop Scheffer,s June 8 farewell visit to
Turkey and briefed us on Turkey,s position regarding the
NATO Russia Council (NRC). She also confirmed that the MFA
is coordinating with Rasmussen,s staff to include Ankara in
Rasmussen,s initial visit to Allied capitals as the new NATO
SecGen. End Summary.


2. (C) NATO SecGen de Hoop Scheffer met with President Gul,
PM Erdogan, FM Davutoglu, CHOD Basbug, and DefMin Gonul
during this June 8 farewell visit to Ankara. NATO and
Euro-Atlantic Security Affairs Department Head Gulhan
Ulutekin reported that although the visit was mostly a
formality, there were two substantive issues discussed during
de Hoop Scheffer,s meetings with FM Davutoglu: Turkish
representation in the group of "Wise Men" that will help
prepare NATO,s new Strategic Concept, and Turkish concerns
about NATO headquarters reform currently being debated.
Ulutekin said the GOT nominated former Turkish PermRep to
NATO Ambassador Umit Pamir as a member of the group of Wise
Men that would help shape the Strategic Concept, and said de
Hoop Scheffer signaled to FM Davutoglu that Pamir,s
candidacy will be accepted.

Headquarters Reforms
--------------


3. (C) FM Davutoglu took the opportunity to raise GOT
concerns about proposals to reform NATO headquarters,
according to Ulutekin. While the GOT supported efforts to
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NATO, Davutoglu
stressed that the "consensus principle" is paramount for
Turkey. Ulutekin said proposals to do away with the
"consensus principle" at lower levels of NATO may create the
unintended consequence of overloading the North Atlantic
Council with proposals that have not been fully debated and
vetted by all Allies.


4. (C) With respect to the civilian budget, Ulutekin said
Turkey understood the rationale for empowering the SecGen
with more executive authority, including greater flexibility
in shifting funds between line items in the civilian budget.
Ulutekin, however, noted that the current SecGen already has
some flexibility in this regard. Without specifying a
threshold, Ulutekin said FM Davutoglu told de Hoop Scheffer
that the new SecGen should consult Allies when "significant
amounts" of the budget are being shifted. Ulutekin said de
Hoop Scheffer expressed appreciation for Turkey's
constructive role in the Alliance, particularly with respect
to Afghanistan and Kosovo.


5. (C) Ulutekin also touched on the MFA,s preparations for
the incoming NATO SecGen Rasmussen. She said Rasmussen is
now "our Secretary General," and Turkey would "support him
constructively." The MFA has been in contact with Ambassador
Jasper Vahr, former Danish ambassador to Turkey and
Rasmussen,s choice to be the director of his Private Office,
and has encouraged Rasmussen, through Vahr, to include Ankara
as a stop in his initial round of visits to Allied capitals
as the new SecGen. She said Vahr has sent positive signals
to the MFA and Turkey is expecting a visit by the new SecGen
toward the end of August.

NRC: Davutoglu to Attend
--------------


6. (C) Raising NRC briefly, Ulutekin welcomed the Alliance
decision to engage with Russia through the NRC at the level
of foreign ministers. She said Turkey has consistently
supported maintaining open channels with Russia, not as a
favor to the Russians, but to ensure that dialogue occurs
between Russia and the Alliance, particularly when there are
"tough issues" with Russia. Referencing a draft document
circulating among Allies, Ulutekin said Turkey supports the
proposal to include Afghanistan, counter-narcotics,
counterterrorism and nonproliferation as priorities on the
NRC agenda. She noted Turkey,s proposal in NATO for the NRC
to also include informal events, such as coffees and "Away
Days", to add a dimension to the often stilted dynamic of
formal NRC discussions and create opportunities for informal
exchanges of views. She confirmed that FM Davutoglu intends
to participate in the NRC meeting following the informal
meeting of OSCE foreign ministers in Corfu.

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JEFFREY