US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2522

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002522 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2014 
TAGS: AJ, AM, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY/ARMENIA:  STALEMATE STRANGLING GOODWILL 
MEASURES 
 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 2457 
     B. 9 APRIL 2004 DOELL-BLAHA E-MAIL 
     C. 23 APRIL 2004 BLAHA-DOELL E-MAIL 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman, E.O. 12958, 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 
1.  (C) Following Ambassador Edelman's April 30 meeting with 
FM Gul (ref A) we re-raised with Caucasus Department Head 
Adali Embassy Yerevan's proposal to open the border to 
participants in the upcoming Kars-Gyumri Symposium (ref B). 
(Ankara Polcouns raised this on April 22 with Adali's boss, 
DDG Tezgor (ref C)).  Adali rejected the idea.  He asked 
rhetorically why the GOT should reach out to the GOAM after 
Armenian diplomats (he claimed) had pushed the Canadian 
Parliament to pass an Armenian genocide resolution.  This, he 
continued, broke a promise the Armenians made to the Turks. 
 
 
2.  (C) Noting that Gul told the Ambassador April 30 he would 
think about further gestures toward Armenia, we asked Adali 
to re-raise the Symposium proposal.  Adali replied that "it 
is impossible for the Minister to say yes if I say no.  Our 
system is rigid."  Adali claimed the MFA is still considering 
the proposal to open the border to diplomatic passport 
holders.  He added that, in principle, the Turkish, Azeri and 
Armenian FMs have agreed to meet on the margins of the June 
NATO Summit in Istanbul; he predicted the meeting will be 
only symbolic and will not touch substance. 
 
 
3.  (C) We asked for details about the April 23 Youth Day 
crossing by Armenian children into Turkey.  Contrary to Gul's 
assertion, after a call to the Culture Ministry, Adali said 
this did not take place.  He blamed the Armenian side for 
canceling the event because it fell the day before April 24 
Armenian Remembrance Day. 
 
 
4.  (C) According to Adali, the EU is not pressuring the GOT 
to take steps on relations with Armenia as a condition to 
receiving a date to begin accession talks in December.  Adali 
said the Armenian strategy is to wait for Turkey to receive a 
date and then use the accession process as leverage. 
 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  In the wake of Azeri President Aliyev's 
April visit to Turkey, the GOT is more dug in than ever to 
linking a full border opening and re-establishing diplomatic 
relations to progress on Nagorno-Karabakh and the occupied 
territories.  This spirit of stalemate helps mid-level 
diplomats strangle more modest measures.  End Comment. 
EDELMAN