US embassy cable - 04ISTANBUL1804

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001804 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TU, IZ, PREL, KPAO, KMPI, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: CRITICISM OF U.S. POLICY IN IRAQ PERVADES BMNEAI 
CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL 
 
REF: ANKARA 6293 
 
 1. (SBU) Summary: Linkage of the BMENAI with U.S. policy in 
Iraq was a common theme of speakers at a Cultural Initiative 
Symposium on the Greater Middle East and North Africa Project 
(BMENAI) in Istanbul in November.  A wide range of Turkish 
academics, former GOT officials, and European diplomats and 
journalists presented papers, but there was a noticeable 
absence of panelists from Middle Eastern countries due to the 
late start in organizing the conference.  While a number of 
speakers discussed in general terms Turkey,s contribution to 
BMENAI, few referred to Turkey,s participation in the 
Democracy Assistance Dialogue.  Former MFA U/S and panel 
chair Ozdem Sanberk explained on the margins that the GOT had 
done virtually nothing to move the process forward since late 
June, pending the results of the U.S. elections.  Panelists 
in general downplayed or ignored questions critical of 
Turkey's progress in reforms.  The anti-American tone of the 
conference set by former General Kemal Yavuz reflected 
suspicion of BMENAI.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The Istanbul Cultural and Artistic Foundation, 
chaired by Sakir Eczacibasi, sponsored a Cultural Initiative 
Symposium in Istanbul on the Greater Middle East and North 
Africa Project (BMENAI) November 8-10. Conference panelists 
included a wide range of Turkish academics, former ministers 
and generals, European diplomats, journalists, and 
professors.  A number of attendees commented on the lack of 
participation from the Islamic countries represented in the 
BMENAI.  According to a chairman of one of the panels, Dr. 
Ahmet Evin of Sabanci University, the conference organizers 
had a late start in organizing the conference and were unable 
to confirm speakers from the Middle East and North African 
countries. 
 
3. (SBU) In the opening session, former Deputy PM Erdal Inonu 
stressed that terror was the motivating factor for the 
BMNEAI.  Minister of Culture Erkan Mumcu underlined that 
peace, not terror, should be its theme.  Mumcu was confident 
that Turkey, with its experience in democratic reforms, could 
contribute a great deal to the initiative, and added that 
Turkey should express itself as an Islamic country. 
 
4. (SBU) Michael Lake, former EU Ambassador to Turkey, 
stressed that BMNEAI,s commitment to shared values of 
democracy, human rights, and a market economy contributes to 
resolution of conflicts in the region.  He was positive about 
Turkey,s accession prospects, and hopeful about prospects of 
reform for partner GOP countries.   Richard Falk of 
Princeton,s Center for International Studies underlined the 
shift of the U.S. post-cold war strategy from Europe to the 
Middle East/Islamic world, as the region that will determine 
the shape of the future )- and noted Turkey,s central role 
in the resolution of regional tensions.  He added that it is 
impossible to separate the BMNEAI from the post 9/11 global 
setting, and questioned whether democracy could be achieved, 
in light of U.S. policies to build long-range bases in Iraq, 
and its relations with Turkey and Israel. 
 
5. (SBU) William Hale of the University of London noted that 
the current AKP government,s introduction of legislation 
based on Islamic principles has stirred up opposition among 
secularists and in democratic countries, but has not broken 
democratic rules.   Former BBC Turkish bureau chief Andrew 
Mango commented that the BMNEAI has similarities with the 
Marshall Plan )- but instead of transferring funds, the 
BMENAI transfers skills.  Mango pointed out that the Turkish 
experience demonstrates the advantages the BMENAI offers to 
countries in the region. 
 
6. (SBU) Retired general Kemal Yavuz was sharply critical of 
the U.S. in his speech on the first day of the conference, 
linking the BMENAI with U.S. policy in Iraq, and calling the 
project &unrealistic, mistaken, and irresponsible  -- a 
threat to Turkey and to humanity.8   Yavuz asserted that 
Israel manages U.S. Middle East policy, that the U.S. goal is 
control of the flow of oil, and that the U.S. Secretary of 
Treasury promoted the current Iraq policy prior to 9/11. 
Yavuz noted that in the last one and a half years, 100,000 
Iraqis have been killed in war and occupation ) which will 
lead to extremism in the region.  He also criticized U.S. 
policy in Afghanistan as a plan to rule Asia.  Noting that 
every political project has a psychological component in 
order to create allies, Yavuz implied that the U.S. strategy 
in creating BMNEAI is to create allies for its Middle Eastern 
policy.  He added that until 10 years ago, foreigners used to 
implement destructive policies in Turkey.  Yavuz, speech 
received huge applause, and most questioners supported his 
anti-U.S. rhetoric. 
 
7. (SBU) This anti-American tone continued throughout much of 
the conference; in his presentation on the Asian view of the 
BMENAI at the end of day two of the conference, former OIC 
Assistant SecGen Arshad Zaman was openly hostile, criticizing 
the U.S. for using BMENAI to divert attention from Iraq. 
However, the Russian Ambassador in Ankara, Petr Stegniy, 
delivered a very thoughtful speech, in which he defended 
BMENAI and U.S. policy in Iraq, noting that key historical 
events (such as the French and Russian revolutions) are never 
understood until many years later.  After the panel, Stegniy 
commented that Russia is assisting the U.S. in promoting 
BMENAI in the region. 
 
8. (SBU) Yusuf Isik, an economist and Kemal Dervis' advisor, 
referred to Turkey's role in the Democracy Assistance 
Dialogue (DAD) in a panel on the final day of the conference 
on Turkey's obligations vis a vis BMNEAI.  However, in 
general many panelists and questioners reflected a lack of 
detailed information about Turkey,s role in the DAD 
(reftel).  While speakers referred to Turkey,s contribution 
to the BMNEAI, in a number of instances throughout the 
seminar, questions regarding Turkey's role in the BMENAI and 
comments critical of its progress in democratic reforms were 
often downplayed or ignored by the panel chairs.  Former MFA 
Undersecretary Ozdem Sanberk acknowledged the lack of 
information about the Democracy Assistance Dialogue in 
official circles by early November.  He explained that 
virtually nothing had been done to move the process forward 
since late June, citing a desire to wait and see if the U.S. 
elections would bring a change in policy. 
 
9. (SBU) Comment: In the leadup to the 12/11 Forum for the 
Future in Morocco, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
the lead agency for BMENAI, has made progress toward 
publicizing Turkey,s role in the Democracy Assistance 
Dialogue, as noted in the MFA,s November 18 statement and 
questions and answers. However, Yavuz,s diatribe, the 
favorable reaction to it, panelists, lack of detailed 
information, and the anti-American tone of much of the 
Istanbul conference reveal that ignorance and suspicion about 
BMENAI remain high.  End comment. 
ARNETT