US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5784

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005784 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2014 
TAGS: CY, IR, IZ, PREL, TU, UK, AM, GG 
SUBJECT: FM GUL AND STRAW MEET IN ANKARA OCTOBER 7 
 
 
Classified by A/DCM James Moore, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 (b) 
and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  UK FM Straw met with Turkish FM Gul the 
morning after the EC issued its Turkey report.  Gul said 
Turkey is pleased overall with the report but cited some 
complaints, including on economic issues.  Gul wants PM 
Erdogan to write to the EU about them.  Gul urged direct 
flights to north Cyprus; Straw briefed him on the status of 
EU trade and aid proposals for Turkish Cypriots.  Gul 
stressed the number of Turkish truckers killed or missing in 
Iraq, the lack of U.S. action against the PKK, the explosive 
situation in Kirkuk, and what he characterized as 
disproportionate use of force by U.S. forces.  After the 
Straw/Gul meeting, FCO PolDir Sawers met with MFA Deputy U/S 
Tuygan to discuss Iraq, Iran, and the Caucasus.  End Summary. 
 
 
Good Atmospherics 
----------------- 
 
2.  (C) UK FM Straw came to Turkey late October 6 for October 
7 meetings with FM Gul, Interior Minister Aksu, and Justice 
Minster and government spokesman Cicek.  After an hour-long 
breakfast with Gul, Straw met with Aksu on bilateral law 
enforcement issues.  UK Political chief Sharma gave us a 
readout of the Gul meeting, which he said had good 
atmospherics. 
 
Turkey/EU 
--------- 
 
3.  (C) Straw congratulated Gul for the October 6 EC 
Recommendation report on Turkey's EU accession.  Turkey had 
achieved its objective and gotten a strong positive 
recommendation.  Straw urged Gul to focus on the positive and 
not to worry about the report's comment that the process is 
"open-ended," or about the possibility of suspension of 
negotiations.  Once negotiations start, Turkish and European 
publics will forget about the conditions and become 
accustomed to the idea of Turkey in the EU, Straw assured 
Gul.  Straw added that there can be no permanent derogation 
on free movement of people, because that would violate a core 
EU principle.  Straw said he expects negotiations to begin 
before the end of the Luxembourg Presidency (i.e., before 
June 30). 
 
4.  (C) Gul said Turkey is pleased overall but unhappy about 
a few things.  Gul read off a list:  opening negotiations on 
economic chapters when, Gul said, Turkey already has a market 
economy;  stating that Turkey must fulfill Customs Union 
obligations before opening negotiations;  the ongoing 
screening process; waiting until after 2014 to start the 
chapter on financial issues.  Gul said Turkey is looking 
forward to the European Summit to "correct" these things in 
December, and he said he wants PM Erdogan to write to the EU 
about them.  Turkish UK Ambassador Alptuner added that Turkey 
had had too many conditions placed on it. 
 
Cyprus 
------ 
 
5.  (C) Gul reiterated that Turkey is seeking direct flights 
between the UK and north Cyprus; such flights are not 
economically feasible from New York but are from the UK. 
Straw said he understood the Turkish request but that the UK 
wants to proceed carefully in order to avoid provoking the 
Greek Cypriots before the December EU Summit decision on 
Turkey's EU accession.  Straw was more optimistic about 
prospects for measures to help Turkish Cypriots after 
December.  He said that the UK will try to prevent decoupling 
of the EU's trade and aid provisions for Turkish Cypriots. 
 
6.  (C) Straw briefed Gul on the status of EU trade and aid 
proposals for the TCs.  Aid has been agreed to in substance 
with some conditions (NFI), and will be passed in November. 
As a condition of the agreement on aid, trade will be adopted 
by a date certain (NFI).  Gul appeared reassured.  He asked 
if aid had been "diluted";  Straw replied the TCs will be 
able to participate. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
7.  (C) Straw told Gul the security situation in Iraq was bad 
and had become worse over the past year.  Gul claimed 47 
Turks had been killed in Iraq and another 60 are unaccounted 
for.  This is more than the number of UK soldiers killed in 
Iraq (11), Gul added.  Gul complained that PKK leader Osman 
Ocalan is moving about Iraq freely while Turkish truck 
drivers are killed.  Coalition forces' disproportionate 
(according to Gul) use of force is alienating the Iraqi 
population.  He said the Kurds are taking over Kirkuk and 
this could spark conflict. 
 
8.  (C) Straw said he had counseled the Kurds to be 
restrained and patient during his recent trip to Iraq.  Straw 
observed the IIG is making a significant contribution to 
Iraqi security, including on a political track through 
contacts with local leaders.  The UK is concerned about 
possible flare-ups in Mosul and Fallujah.  However, election 
preparations are advancing. 
Sawer/Tuygan on Iraq 
-------------------- 
 
9.  (C) After the Straw/Gul meeting, FCO PolDir Sawers met 
with MFA Deputy U/S (soon to be U/S) Tuygan for two hours, 
mostly on Iraq.  In general, Tuygan amplified Gul's points. 
On Kirkuk, Sawers noted local leaders' tradition of 
co-existence; Tuygan agreed but added pointedly that newcomer 
Kurds did not have that tradition. 
 
10.   (S) Tuygan echoed Gul's complaints about Osman Ocalan's 
apparent ability to move about freely; adding U.S. inaction 
is disappointing.  He claimed the U.S. and GOT had agreed to 
a "roadmap" to either seize senior PKK officials or to engage 
in operations and that had not happened.  He said 1500 PKK 
had crossed from Iraq into Turkey (without mentioning what 
time period he was talking about).  If there were more 
reports of crossings in large numbers, Turkey will have to 
take action.  Sawers emphasized the need for Turkey to 
discuss any such plan with the MNF and IIG beforehand; Tuygan 
said Turkey would want to consult.  Sawers asked if Turkey 
would talk to Osman Ocalan; Tuygan said never. 
 
Sawer/Tuygan on Iran, Caucasus 
------------------------------ 
 
11.  (C) Sawer said the EU-3 initiative is likely coming to 
an end:  they will give the Iranians a final chance over the 
next three weeks and if there is no positive result, go to 
the IAEA board for UNSC referral.  Sawer doubted the Iranians 
would meet EU-3 demands.  Tuygan said Iran has a great 
ability to absorb punishment but Turkey supports the EU 
position on Iran.  Tuygan described Turkey's commercial 
relations with Iran as "extensive."  However, Turkey is 
feeling the effect of conservatives' consolidated hold on 
Iran, Tuygan said, citing stalled commercial deals. 
 
12.  (C) On Georgia, Tuygan worried about Tbilisi's 
nationalist rhetoric on South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and 
Turkey, he said, noting a recent Georgian TV program showed 
parts of eastern Turkey as formerly included in Georgia. 
Turkey will continue to support Georgia and counsel 
Saakashvili to exercise caution in dealing with problems, but 
will watch Georgia closely.  Straw said the UK is telling 
Russia a stable Georgia is in Russia's interest; Tuygan said 
Russia needs to be engaged. 
 
13.  (C) Tuygan said Turkey is in dialogue with Armenia on 
bilateral issues and Nagorno-Karabakh.  Tuygan said the 
Armenians want to "decouple" these issues but Turkey will not 
open the border without concessions on NK. 
 
14.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
EDELMAN