US embassy cable - 05ANKARA972

S E C R E T ANKARA 000972 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2015 
TAGS: AM, GG, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY TAKES A SMALL STEP IN DEALING WITH ARMENIA 
 
 
(U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  The Turkish MFA is moving responsibility 
for official communication with the Government of Armenia 
from its Embassy in Moscow to its Embassy in Tbilisi.  MFA 
portrays this as a pragmatic response to increased travel 
between Turkey and Armenia through Georgia.  In substance, 
Turkish-Armenian relations are at a standstill, with no 
further working-level talks on the horizon.  However, the 
shift could facilitate bilateral communication.  End Comment. 
 
 
2.  (C) On March 1, the MFA will move responsibility for 
official communication with the Government of Armenia from 
its Embassy in Moscow to its Embassy in Tbilisi.  MFA 
Caucasus Department Head Adali (strictly protect) portrays 
this as a pragmatic step, in view of increased numbers of 
Turks and Armenians traveling through Georgia.  According to 
Adali, increased travel between Turkey and Armenia via 
Georgia has spawned a burgeoning consular caseload and a 
number of legal issues. 
 
3.  (C) Adali noted wryly the move will "displease a certain 
large country" -- clearly referring to Russia.  It will also 
give a key role to Turkey's Ambassador in Georgia Ertan 
Tezgor, an experienced Caucasus hand who headed the MFA's 
quiet working-level contacts with Armenian diplomats in 2003 
and 2004 until he was named Ambassador to Georgia. 
 
4.  (S) The move to Tbilisi may also facilitate bilateral 
communication in another way.  Tezgor and Adali have both 
told us the Armenians worry about Russian eavesdropping of 
their bilateral communications even in Yerevan; for this 
reason, the Armenians preferred to hold bilateral talks in 
Vienna instead of their own capital when it was their turn to 
host.  The move to Tbilisi could respond to the same Armenian 
concern about Moscow. 
 
5.  (S) Adali hinted that the next step forward in relations 
could be accrediting Turkey's Ambassador in Georgia to 
Yerevan.  However, he held out no prospect that this will 
happen soon and gave no indication of what circumstances 
would justify such a move. 
 
6.  (C) In substance, Turkish-Armenian relations are at a 
standstill.  Adali told us there are no plans in the 
foreseeable future for resumption of working-level meetings. 
The last such meeting was in August 2004.  The MFA is still 
upset over what it views as President Kocharian's efforts to 
inject relations with Armenia into the December EU Summit 
decision over Turkey's candidacy and his perceived insult to 
Turkey's European vocation.  Adali told us he met earlier 
this month in Ankara with a working-level Armenian diplomat 
(NFI) to reiterate Turkey's concerns. 
 
7.  (C) Adali is pinning hopes for improved Turkish-Armenian 
relations on future talks between Armenian and Azeri FMs. 
Adali predicted Turkey would respond to any Armenian 
withdrawal from the occupied territories, even without any 
move on Nagorno-Karabakh. 
 
8.  (C) Comment:  The shift to Tbilisi is a small step; we 
see little likelihood of any substantive change on the 
Turkish side in the near future.  However, if only in 
geography, it is a small step in the right direction.  End 
Comment. 
EDELMAN