US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2743

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002743 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2014 
TAGS: ECON, PREL, TU, KMPI 
SUBJECT: SHARING THE GMEI SUPPORT PLAN:  TURKEY 
 
REF: A. STATE 106755 
     B. 11 MAY 2004 MULENEX-DEUTSCH/POWELL/KHALILZAD 
        E-MAIL 
     C. 13 MAY 2004 BRYZA-PASCOE E-MAIL 
     D. ANKARA 2422 
 
 
(U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 
1.  (C) We delivered ref A points and ref B Plan of Support 
on May 14 to Turkish MFA Policy Planning Department Head 
Akcapar and  Middle East Department Section Chief Sekizkok. 
Per ref A, we modified ref B cover letter to include a 
paragraph reading "We are conveying this to you at this point 
to ensure full coordination with the Government of Turkey in 
its capacity as a partner and co-sponsor of certain Greater 
Middle East efforts."  We also stressed this point orally. 
 
 
2.  (C) Akcapar welcomed our initiative and USG 
responsiveness on Turkey's ideas on the most recent Democracy 
Assistance Group (DAG) paper.  He urged the U.S. to continue 
close consultations with Turkey on GMEI.  He reiterated PM 
Erdogan's and FM Gul's statements that Middle East reform is 
necessary and achievable.  He also welcomed the 
"generational" nature of the GMEI commitment, saying that 
will help ensure gradual reform without endangering regional 
stability. 
 
 
3.  (C) Akcapar said the GOT is focusing on suggestions for 
DAG co-sponsors.  He reiterated ref C suggestions of Germany, 
France, or Italy as the G-8 co-sponsor.  For the regional 
co-sponsor, Akcapar said Turkey's first preference is Syria. 
Akcapar noted recent U.S./Syrian "tension," but said Syrian 
co-sponsorship will raise the DAG profile and give it more 
weight in the Arab world.  He added Turkey's "developing" 
relations with Syria will positively impact DAG functioning. 
However, he said Turkey can work with Yemen if Syria is not 
named as a co-sponsor.  He asked that Turkey be kept "in the 
loop" on the status of co-sponsorships. 
 
 
4.  (C) Contrary to what Sekizkok told us April 29 (ref D) 
Akcapar said his personal opinion is that the GMEI need not 
include concrete provisions on the Israel/Palestinian 
conflict, but as a practical matter, he predicted lack of 
progress on the ground will hamper GMEI.  He agreed lack of 
progress between Israel and the Palestinians should not be an 
excuse to delay regional reform.  He added that regional 
governments needed to be involved in GMEI initiatives in 
their countries.  Akcapar predicted that after the upcoming 
OIC Summit in Istanbul, Turkey will issue a "progressive 
declaration" (separate from the OIC communiqu, which will 
require consensus) referring to GMEI goals including 
democracy, good governance, reform and gender equality. 
 
 
5.  (C) Akcapar said GMEI is coming at a crucial time. 
Turkey's delegation to the OIC preparatory meetings in Jeddah 
returned "alarmed," he said, at the level of anti-Americanism 
among other delegations. 
EDELMAN