FM DAVUTOGLU REBUILDING HIS MINISTRY IN HIS IMAGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000021

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU
SUBJECT: FM DAVUTOGLU REBUILDING HIS MINISTRY IN HIS IMAGE

REF: ANKARA 1717

Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, for reasons 1.4(b,d)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Davutoglu used his
opening speech to the January 4-8 Turkish ambassadors'
conference to reinforce his vision of an activist diplomacy
that asserts the country's profile regionally and beyond. He
appears to be making progress selling that vision to a
generation of Turkish diplomats that had been schooled to
view Turkey's Ottoman past as a constraint on their freedom
of action abroad. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) For the second time since Prime Minister Erdogan's
Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in November
2002, a Turkish foreign minister has summoned his ambassadors
from around the world to a conference in Ankara to discuss
Turkey's foreign policy priorities. Like his predecessor,
Ali Babacan, during the July 2008 ambassadorial conference,
Foreign Minister Davutoglu, in his opening session speech to
the January 4 - 8 conference, sought to reinforce the AKP's
vision of an activist Turkey, reaching out for influence not
only in its region, but globally. Widely viewed as the
architect of that ambitious vision, Davutolgu appears to be
making good progress selling it to a conservative generation
of Turkish diplomats that had been schooled to view Turkey's
Ottoman past as a debilitating constraint on their latitude,
especially when posted to the former imperial territories of
the Balkans and Middle East. As Davutoglu urges his senior
diplomats to view the world and its crises not as risks for
Turkey, but as opportunities to expand Turkish power, he is
simultaneously lobbying for the budgetary resources that
would accommodate a dramatic expansion of his ministry's
staff. Central to that expansion would be the recruitment of
young diplomats whose formative years have been conditioned
by the political stability of successive AKP governments,
transformative domestic economic growth, the near abandonment
of Turkey's centuries-old perception of Russia as implacable
threat and an attendant weakening of the decades-old
perception of the the United States as indispensible
protector.


3. (C) According to media sources, Davutoglu's opening
session speech prescribed six "dimensions" to guide his
ambassadors in their conduct of Turkish foreign relations:

-- "Intellectual Dimension," A Shared Vision for Turkey:
Davutoglu rhetorically asked his ambassadors: "What kind of
Turkey do we want?" Identifying the year 2023, the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic, as a
target date, Davutoglu said he wants a Turkey that is a
member of the EU, has assumed "an effective role" in its
neighborhood and "an active role" globally, and has joined
the ranks of the world's 10 largest economies. (NOTE:
Though our very secular MFA contacts are unlikely to vote for
the Islamist AKP, Davutoglu's optimistic nationalist vision
resonates with them, especially since they have a starring
roll in realizing it. END NOTE)

-- "Psychological Dimension," Patient Self-confidence:
Davutoglu urged his ambassadors to be realistic in their
expectations and, consistent with his first point, implied
their efforts to realize their shared vision would encounter
hindrances and frustrations. (COMMENT: Some of our MFA
contacts discreetly worry their energetic and peripatetic
minister is prone to diplomatic overstretch. MFA staff are
working very long hours in an effort to keep up with
Davutoglu's proliferating strategic partnership initiatives
and mediation efforts. The consensus, however, appears to be
that he is establishing the bilateral and regional formats
and structures that Turkey will use, as it realizes its
potential, to exert its influence. Convinced Turkey is on a

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steep upward trajectory economically, most MFA contacts
contend it will grow sooner, rather than later, into the
structures Davutoglu is now busily establishing. END COMMENT)

-- "Rhetorical Dimension": Davutoglu urged his ambassadors
to abandon trade-speak and circumlocution and speak clearly
to the Turkish people. (NOTE: Turkish ambassadors and the
MFA ranks have long thought of themselves as an elite
possessed of a privileged understanding of international
isues. They may find justifying foreign policy to Turkish
voters an unfamiliar and uncomfortable exercise. END NOTE)

-- "National Dimension": Davutoglu told his ambassadors
foreign policy is no longer the preserve of diplomats.
Alluding to the prevalence of cross-cutting and highly
technical issues in international relations, he urged his
ambassadors towards management of multi-agency teams that
draw on the competencies of ministries in addition to the
MFA. (NOTE: The High-Level Strategic Cooperation Councils
Turkey recently established with Iraq and Syria, both of
which involved counterparts meetings between up to eight
pairs of ministers and the signing of dozens of MoUs, will be
an early test of the MFA's ability to manage a multi-agency
foreign policy effort. END NOTE)

-- "International Dimension": Suggestive of Ankara's
diminished threat perception, Davutoglu invited his
ambassadors to view even regional crises first as
opportunities to assert Turkey's profile and cultivate
influence, especially as mediators. He noted Turkey's
proximity to crises gives it a perspective on important
events valued by great powers. (COMMENT: Davutoglu is
practising what he preaches. From Somalia to Bosnia to Iran,
he has engaged his diplomats in recent mediation efforts that
can parallel and distract from established fora. Results
have not been impressive, but Davutoglu remains undeterred.
We expect him to continue to peddle Turkey's good offices
around the region and beyond. END COMMENT)

-- "Institutional Dimension": Focussing on his stewardship
of the ministry's budgetary resources, Davutoglu described an
MFA that is investing in the intellectual capital of its
staff through language and post-graduate training and
expanding Turkey's presence abroad by opening new consulates
and embassies. (NOTE: The ministry clearly needs more
diplomats. Our visibly tired Turkish colleagues are often
juggling several portfolios. END NOTE)


4. (C) COMMENT: Despite their workload, our MFA contacts, for
the most part, seem inspired by Davutoglu and excited by his
activism. They reserve their candid criticism for Prime
Minister Erdogan, his emotional inclination to exceed his
talking points and his staff's frequent failure to back brief
the MFA on his meetings with international counterparts.
SILLIMAN

"Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s
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