US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6424

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006424 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: CODEL MCCONNEL'S OCTOBER 10 MEETINGS WITH PM 
ERDOGAN AND TGS COS GEN OZKOK 
 
REF: A) ANKARA 6238 AND PREVIOUS 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman.  Reasons:  1.5 (B 
and D). 
 
 
(U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
 
1.  (C) Summary: PM Erdogan told visiting Codel McConell 
October 10 that elements within Turkey and Iraq were making 
"ugly" statements about the possible deployment of Turkish 
troops to Iraq as part of the stabilization force there. 
Erdogan said he was not familiar with the details of the 
discussions on a location for a Turkish deployment, but 
believed that Salahaddin region would be Turkey,s first 
choice.  The MFA and TGS will make a recommendation and the 
GOT will make the final decision.  In a separate meeting, TGS 
Chief GEN Ozkok said a Turkish contribution was intended to 
help create the conditions under which others could carry out 
humanitarian and development assistance.  Turkey's own 
experience in building a republic might enable Turkey to 
assist in the nation-building process in Iraq.  Erdogan said 
that Syria under President al-Assad was moving towards 
democratization and argued that Turkey and Syria had overcome 
their past differences.  Erdogan said Turkey would like to 
open its border with Armenia, but Armenia must first 
recognize the existing borders.  Ozkok professed no objection 
to improved Turkey-Armenia relations if Yerevan abandoned its 
position on "genocide."  Ozkok appealed for help in 
facilitating technology transfer from the US to Turkey, and 
in project approvals in the defense industry area.  End 
summary. 
 
 
2.  (U) Senator McConnell, accompanied by Senators Burns, 
Craig, Thomas and Chafee, met with Prime Minister Erdogan and 
Chief of the Turkish General Staff GEN Ozkok (separately) 
October 10.  Ambassador and other members of the country team 
accompanied the Codel to both meetings. 
 
 
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Terrorism and Iraq 
------------------ 
 
 
3. (U) Erdogan said that elements within Iraq and Turkey were 
making "ugly" statements about the deployment of Turkish 
troops to Iraq.  KDP leader Barzani's representative in 
Ankara recently made statements that disturbed Turkey.  &How 
can someone who represents a tribe, not even a state, make 
such statements without drawing any reaction from the U.S.?8 
 Erdogan said the US must help build public support for 
deployment.  Erdogan professed that he was not familiar with 
the details of the discussions on the possible location of 
Turkish troops in Iraq, but believed the Salahaddin region 
would be Turkey,s first choice, with Al Anbar as a possible 
alternative.  The MFA and TGS would make a recommendation and 
then the GOT will make a final decision. 
 
 
4. (C) In response to a question, Erdogan said he did not 
know if Al-Qaeda was active in the region.  But PKK/KADEK 
remains active in northern Iraq.  Erdogan called on the U.S. 
to take action against the PKK/KADEK:  &It,s not enough to 
put an organization on a terrorism list.8 
 
 
5.  (C) After extolling the importance of congressional 
visits to TGS, GEN Ozkok noted that in the face of new 
threats and challenges, US and Turkey were "indispensable 
partners."   The US and Turkey agreed on the need to need to 
eliminate terrorism from Iraq.  Ozkok explained Turkey's 
18-year struggle against the PKK/KADEK and how the 
organization now had about 3,000 members in camps in northern 
Iraq.  Ozkok argued PKK/Kadek was now preparing to launch 
attacks on Turkey.  He said one should not discriminate 
between terrorist organizations and PKK/KADEK, and argued the 
organization should be eliminated and dismantled.  He 
recalled that the USG and GOT were already engaged in 
discussions on how to do this. 
 
 
6.  (C) Ozkok noted that Turkey and the US have a long 
history of cooperation in working together militarily.  With 
respect to Iraq, Turkey had granted every US request save 
one: the transit of US ground forces through Turkey prior to 
the commencement of military operations against Iraq last 
March.  He noted that this was the Parliament's to decide: 
"we all must respect that decision."  Ozkok said the recent 
parliamentary authorization permitting a troop contribution 
to the stabilization force had as its top objective 
assistance to the Iraqi people, to give them hope and 
prosperity.  The contribution would also be a way to assist 
the US.  Details on place, timing, and ROE were yet to be 
worked out.  Senator McConnell expressed appreciation for the 
GOT's and Parliament's decision to help stabilize Iraq, a 
sentiment seconded by the other senators.  He also praised 
the Turkish armed forces' cooperation with the US. 
 
 
7.  (C) Senator Thomas asked Ozkok to elaborate on the 
mission that Turkish troops would perform in Iraq.  Ozkok 
said that the military would be there not to resolve all of 
Iraq's problems, but to create the conditions for other 
organizations to properly function.  Stability would permit 
other government agencies to work on infrastructure 
improvements and other assistance projects.  Senator Chafee 
asked how the situation and mission in Iraq might differ from 
that in Kosovo and Bosnia.  Ozkok replied that the Balkans 
conflicts were internal conflicts between indigenous 
populations whereas the situation in Iraq was brought about 
by outside intervention.  This has led to a different kind of 
situation in Iraq; a situation which US forces have handled 
well, he said.  He noted that Iraq also had ethnic and 
religious differences, but the divisions were not as great as 
in the Balkans.  He also commented that one reason to 
maintain Iraq's territorial integrity was that an Iraq 
without Kurds would be dominated by the Shia who were 
susceptible to Iranian influence. 
 
 
8.  (C) Ozkok asked the Senators what they saw as Iraq's end 
state.  Senator Chafee replied "democracy is the goal." 
Ozkok said that Turkey knew from its own experience that one 
cannot learn democracy overnight.  Iraqis will face difficult 
choices, such as whether to have a parliamentary or 
presidential system of government.  Turkey's own experience 
might be of some help. 
 
 
9.  (C) Senator McConnell expressed the hope that 
arrangements for the deployment of Turkish forces to Iraq 
could be achieved in a way so as to not cause problems. 
Ozkok acknowledged that there had been statements by 
individual Iraqi leaders opposing the Turkish deployment.  A 
request for a troop contribution from the temporary 
government in Iraq might address the public's 
misunderstanding caused by the negative statements.  Senator 
McConnell noted that the deployment should be seen as an 
opportunity to improve relations.  He recalled seeing 
soldiers from the 101st in Mosul doing a lot of civilian 
projects and working directly with the local people.  If 
Turkey did this, it could be a major contribution to future 
Turkey-Iraq relations.  Ozkok agreed, saying that Turkish 
forces had experience in this regard from its participation 
in peacekeeping in the Balkans and Afghanistan.  If Iraqis 
approach the Turks in an unbiased way, they will soon 
understand that Turkey wants to contribute positively to 
their prosperity and stability. 
 
 
------- 
Armenia 
------- 
 
 
10. (C) Erdogan said he would like to open the border with 
Armenia, but Armenia must first recognize the border.  &How 
can we have normal relations with a country that does not 
recognize our borders?&  In response to a question from 
Senator McConnell about the prospects for improved relations 
between Turkey and Armenia, Ozkok professed a desire for 
better relations, noting that the issue was in the hands of 
the GOT (i.e. civilians).  He went on to say that if Armenia 
dropped the genocide issue, there would be no obstacle to 
better relations.  After being reminded by TGS Deputy J3 MG 
Kalyoncu, Ozkok noted that because the concept of genocide is 
embedded in the Armenian constitution, it would not be easy 
for Yerevan to alter its policy. 
 
 
----- 
Syria 
----- 
 
 
11. (C) Erdogan argued that President al-Assad was &more 
Western and peaceful8 than his father, and therefore 
represents an opportunity for change.  He claimed that Syria 
is moving toward democratization, and that Turkey and Syria 
have overcome past differences. 
 
 
------------------------------------- 
Civilian-Military Relations in Turkey 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
12.  (C) Senator McConnell asked Ozkok what changes might be 
necessary for Turkey to join the EU, noting that 
military-government relations in Turkey were different than 
other places in Europe.  Ozkok acknowledged that the 
relationship was different in Turkey, but he believed the 
differences were not great.  He noted that the Cabinet 
appoints the TGS Chief without the military putting forward a 
candidate.  Although the government usually selects the most 
senior Army officer, on two occasions civilian leaders have 
chosen someone else.  Some changes had already been made 
regarding the composition and function of the National 
Security Council.  While the military had made suggestions to 
soften the impact of these reforms ("changing attitudes and 
biases takes time," he said), TGS had not opposed them. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Help in Bilateral Defense Industrial Relationship 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 
13.  (C) Ozkok told the delegation that the TGS attaches high 
importance to its defense industrial relationship with the 
US.  He lamented that sometimes Turkey encountered some 
difficulties in getting what it needed.  Particularly, 
technology transfer and congressional approval for defense 
equipment transactions were "sometimes difficult."  He 
solicited the senators' assistance to facilitate approvals, 
which he saw as important to improve US-Turkish relations. 
 
 
14. (U) Codel McConnell did not clear this message before it 
departed post. 
EDELMAN