US embassy cable - 05ANKARA799

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000799 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TU, CY 
SUBJECT: GREEK CYPRIOT PARTY LEADER ANASTASSIADES MEETS 
TURKISH FM GUL 
 
REF: ANKARA 427 
 
(U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  In the first visit by a Greek Cypriot 
politician to Turkey since 1963, Democratic Rally (DISY) 
Party leader Nicos Anastassiades met with Turkish FM and 
Deputy Prime Minister Gul in Ankara on February 10.  We 
understand that (1) Anastassiades raised changes to the Annan 
Plan that could help DISY gain more support for it among 
Greek Cypriots, but he and Gul discussed few details; (2) 
Anastassiades brought no message from President Papadopoulos. 
 Anastassiades meets PM Erdogan in Istanbul February 12.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (C) According to ruling AK Party International Relations 
head Saban Disli, who was present at the meeting, Gul and 
Anastassiades talked about Cyprus for about 30 minutes of a 
two-hour meeting.  DISY's trip to Turkey is being billed as 
party-to-party contact, and the rest of the meeting was taken 
up in discussion of political party matters. 
 
3.  (C) Some Turkish press accounts claimed the meeting had a 
detailed Cyprus agenda.  Disli said Anastassiades told Gul 
that if there were "certain changes" to the Annan Plan, DISY 
would again push the Plan with the Greek Cypriot public. 
Anastassiades raised the Turkish military presence, changes 
in the Karpass and, according to Anastassiades, missing 
persons issues.  However, Disli said the two discussed few 
details; Anastassiades did not present any written document 
and "tried to stay away from delicate issues."  He brought no 
messages on behalf of President Papadopoulos. 
 
4.  (C) Anastassiades quietly requested a meeting with Gul 
through the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 
September 2004, and the MFA's answer was a resounding no. 
This time, Anastassiades bypassed the MFA and quietly 
requested Gul and Erdogan meetings through AK party channels. 
 The meeting took place at AK party headquarters, no MFA 
officials were present, and the MFA Cyprus Department had no 
role in or details about the AK/DISY contact (reftel). 
 
5.  (C) Disli said Gul expressed appreciation for 
Anastassiades' courage in accepting AK's invitation to visit 
Turkey.  Disli's assessment to us is that Anastassiades is 
someone with whom AK could maintain dialogue.  Anastassiades 
meets PM Erdogan in Istanbul on February 12. 
EDELMAN