US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5823

UNCLAS ANKARA 005823 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, CU, TU, UNGA 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE OPPOSING CUBA'S UN RESOLUTION AGAINST THE 
EMBARGO 
 
REF: STATE 215870 
 
1. (U) We presented reftel demarche October 8 to Turkish 
MFA's Latin America Head of Department Cen Onder.  As 
instructed in the cable, we asked that Turkey consider 
abstaining if it could not support the U.S. request. 
 
2.  (U) Onder indicated that Turkey would check with the 
European Union countries as well as "other international 
obligations" before determining how to vote this year.  He 
dodged further by drawing on an old saw to assert Turkish 
foreign policy was based on Ataturk's philosophy of "Peace at 
home, peace abroad."  Speculating that Turkey would use 
previous wording related to Cuba, Onder provided a copy of 
Turkey's June 12, 2003 statement, which states: 
 
     "1.  The Republic of Turkey does not have any laws or 
measures of the kind referred to in the preamble to 
Resolution 57/11 (Resolution regarding Cuba in 2003) and 
reaffirms its adherence to the principle of freedom of trade 
and navigation in conformity with the Charter of the United 
Nations and international law. 
 
     2.  The Government of Turkey is of the view that 
differences and problems between States should be settled 
through dialogue and negotiations." 
EDELMAN