US embassy cable - 05ANKARA866

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000866 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TU, CY 
SUBJECT: GREEK CYPRIOT PARTY LEADER ANASTASSIADES MEETS 
TURKISH PM ERDOGAN IN ISTANBUL 
 
REF: ANKARA 799 
 
(U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Two days after meeting with Turkish FM Gul 
(reftel) Greek Cypriot Democratic Rally Party (DISY) leader 
Nicos Anastassiades met for about an hour with PM Erdogan in 
Istanbul February 12.  Anastassiades again raised possible 
changes to the Annan Plan, although with more specificity 
than during the Gul meeting.  On the Turkish side, the 
meetings appear to have yielded no concrete progress toward 
settlement, but are remarkable for the fact they happened at 
all.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C) AK Party International Relations head Saban Disli, 
who was present at the Erdogan meeting, said Erdogan and 
Anastassiades spoke for about an hour. As he had with Gul, 
Anastassiades raised changes in the Annan Plan, but this time 
with more specificity:  complete withdrawal of Turkish troops 
upon Turkey becoming a full EU member;  modifications to the 
Plan's property settlement provisions; the possible exchange 
of Turkish Cypriot territory in the Karpass for Greek Cypriot 
territory.  Anastassiades also raised missing persons issues. 
 
3.  (C) Erdogan reiterated Turkey's commitment to a solution, 
adding that failure to resolve Cyprus soon will lead to 
bigger problems in the long run.  He told Anastassiades 
Turkey will support any Greek Cypriot initiative with Talat. 
Anastassiades said he is committed to a bizonal, bicommunal 
solution.  Erdogan promised to keep the door open to further 
contact with DISY. 
 
4.  (C) Disli attached little significance to the specific 
discussions in the two meetings but again praised 
Anastassiades' courage in making the trip, which Disli views 
as a confidence-building measure.  He called Anastassiades 
"reasonable."  Disli, who arranged the Erdogan and Gul 
meetings, told Anastassiades after the Erdogan meeting that 
such talks can continue but linked concrete progress to 
measures to help ease Turkish Cypriot isolation.  Absent such 
measures, Disli told us, Erdogan and AK are vulnerable to 
criticism from the right-wing nationalist National Action 
Party (MHP). 
EDELMAN