US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5938

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005938 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2013 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, IS, TU 
SUBJECT: URGENT DEMARCHE:  UN ACTION ON THE MIDDLE EAST: 
TURKEY 
 
 
REF: STATE 268287 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, e.o. 12958, reasons 1.5 
(b) and (d). 
 
 
1. (C) DCM presented reftel demarche September 18 to MFA 
Middle East AND Africa General Director Tahsin Burcuoglu. 
 
 
2. (C) Burcuoglu accepted the U.S. views and reiterated 
Turkey's support for the Road Map and its continuing good 
relationship with both Israelis and Palestinians.  He 
indicated the Turkish view that the public Israeli decision 
on Arafat and Olmert's comments were a serious error.  He 
said, therefore the Turkish view was that the text presented 
to the Security Council previously was acceptable.  It was 
focused and balanced.  If the same text were presented to the 
UNGA, the GOT would accept it, he said.  Turkey's EU 
candidacy meant that Turkey also needed to consider common EU 
views.  While the vote in the UNSC showed the EU was not 
united, Turkey might follow the lead of an EU majority. 
Turkey would be sensitive to the resolution language and 
would try to get appropriate text acceptable to all parties. 
Burcuoglu added that Turkey would join efforts to condemn 
Hamas and terrorism, but he believes this should be in a 
separate text. 
 
 
3. (C) Burcuoglu cautioned that Arafat is now being perceived 
as a victim and a martyr by the Islamic world and that would 
not be helpful to the Road Map process. 
EDELMAN