US embassy cable - 04ISTANBUL295

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000295 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, CY, TU, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: TURKISH FIRST ARMY COMMANDER ON US/TURKEY 
RELATIONS, CYPRUS, GME 
 
 
Classified By: Consul General David Arnett for Reasons 1.5(b&d) 
 
 
1. (u) Summary: During the course of a February 26 courtesy 
call by the Ambassador, First Army Commander General 
Buyukanit offered his views on U.S.-Turkish 
military-to-military relations, the ongoing Cyprus 
negotiations, and the Greater Middle East.  End Summary. 
 
 
Mil-Mil Relations 
----------------- 
2. (c) Buyukanit noted that the March 1, 2003, vote in the 
Turkish Parliament had been a major setback to relations.  As 
the then-Deputy Chairman of the Turkish General Staff (TGS), 
he recalled having worked around the clock for several days 
in the lead-up to the vote.  As a result, Buyukanit took it 
personally when Deputy Defense Secretary Wolfowitz later 
"criticized" the Turkish military in a CNN Turk interview for 
not demonstrating sufficient leadership.  Buyukanit defended 
the TGS, but concluded that he saw the whole incident as a 
"black spot" on his career.  The Ambassador reassured the 
General that we understand there were many factors which 
contributed to the parliamentary vote and that Wolfowitz 
remains one of Turkey's strongest supporters. 
 
 
3. (c) The Ambassador added that much of the damage to the 
relationship has already been repaired with renewed contacts 
and a resumption of the High-Level Planning Group (HLPG) 
meetings.  Buyukanit expressed his satisfaction with the 
resumption of the HLPG meetings and suggested that such 
meetings adopt the broad, "strategic" focus that 
characterized the bilateral exchanges in the 1980s.  The 
Ambassador agreed and noted that the November HLPG had 
included such a discussion on Iraq.  Following up on these 
talks with other discussions between regular HLPG meetings 
would also be important to maintaining a healthy dialogue. 
The upcoming visit of DOD Jim Townsend to Turkey would be one 
such useful opportunity.  The June NATO Summit in Istanbul 
would be yet another opportunity for high-level discussions. 
 
 
Cyprus 
------ 
4. (c) Initially reluctant to comment on the ongoing 
negotiations in Cyprus (an issue on which he had spent 
"years" and had "hundreds" of meetings), Buyukanit did note 
that he sees the island as "strategically" important only as 
it relates to Turkey's EU membership.  "What will happen if 
(there is a solution and) Turkey does not join the EU?," he 
asked.  As for the ongoing talks, Buyukanit urged caution to 
ensure that "today's solutions not become tomorrow's 
problems."  With a few "necessary modifications" (nfi), the 
plan could work.  Moreover, Buyukanit added, "I know" that 
when UNSYG Annan sits down to "fill in the blanks" on the 
plan, that it is "really the U.S. and the U.K." that will be 
calling the shots.  The Ambassador expressed confidence that 
Turkey will eventually be an EU member and that a durable 
Cyprus settlement can be found.  The U.S. has a role, the 
Ambassador admitted, but it would be UNSYG Annan who makes 
the final decisions on the details of unresolved elements of 
the plan. 
 
 
Greater Middle East 
------------------- 
5. (c) The Ambassador sketched the background and thinking 
that underlies a new USG focus and commitment to support 
democratic and economic reform in the Greater Middle East 
(GME).  Buyukanit agreed that Turkey would be one of the 
prime beneficiaries of greater stability and democracy in 
this region.  Disavowing the much-discussed notion that 
Turkey can be a "model," Buyukanit argued that if the U.S. 
succeeds there, Iraq itself could be the model for Saudi 
Arabia, Syria, and other countries in the region.  Buyukanit 
singled out the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as particularly 
intractable and commented that the U.S. would have a critical 
role to play here and in the whole region. 
ARNETT