US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1213

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, TU, LE, SY 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES TURKISH MFA TO PRESS SYRIA ON 
TROOP WITHDRAWAL 
 
REF: A. STATE 39018 
 
     B. ANKARA 916 
     C. ANKARA 296 
     D. STATE 39023 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman, E.O. 12958, 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S) Summary:  On March 4 Ambassador urged Turkish MFA U/S 
Tuygan to have the MFA press the Syrians on troop withdrawal 
from Lebanon.  Ambassador followed up with ref A points on 
March 6.  Tuygan said the GOT is contemplating a letter from 
PM Erdogan to Assad.  Tuygan called ref A points "well taken" 
and undertook to pass them to FM Gul immediately.  The 
Ambassador also urged the MFA to press the Syrians to close 
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) offices and share information 
on Syrian troop movements,  End Summary 
 
Ambassador Urges Turks to Press Assad 
------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) On March 4, the Ambassador told Tuygan Turkey is out 
of step with the international community in not pressing the 
Syrians to withdraw from Lebanon.  The Ambassador noted 
Turkey has invested considerable political capital in 
developing relations with Syria over the past year and now is 
the time to use that capital.  The Ambassador urged an 
unambiguous message from Turkey to Syria to comply with UNSCR 
1559.  Noting that Turkey has sent FM Gul to Israel and the 
Palestinian territories and hopes to play a constructive role 
in the Middle East peace process, the Ambassador suggested 
the letter include s strongly-worded statement telling Assad 
to shut down PIJ offices in Damascus as well. 
 
3.  (C) Tuygan said the MFA is considering a letter from PM 
Erdogan to Assad urging compliance.  Erdogan was on a trip to 
Africa at the time and Tuygan said the MFA would raise it 
with him after his return (Erdogan returned March 6).  Tuygan 
said the MFA has over the past few months blocked requests 
from Turkish defense firms to sell weapons to Syria. 
Referring to recent Embassy demarches urging the Turks not to 
ratify the Turkey/Syria free trade agreement (refs B and C), 
Tuygan said the agreement is required by the Euro-Med 
Dialogue.  The Ambassador urged Tuygan to re-check this; our 
understanding is that Syrian-EU relations are currently on 
hold. 
 
4.  (S) Ambassador raised ref A points with Tuygan on March 
6, relaying our high concern that Syrian and pro-Syrian 
Lebanese forces could re-position to threaten demonstrators 
in Martyrs' Square (ref D).  The Ambassador noted that the 
USG has warned Damascus and Beirut the USG will hold them 
responsible for any violence directed toward peaceful 
demonstrators.  The Ambassador noted that as a neighbor to 
Syria, Turkey may be monitoring Syrian troop movements; the 
U.S. will welcome any information Turkey may be able to pass 
on this score (see IIR 6 898 0135 05; Ankara TU 1212). 
 
5.  (C) Tuygan replied ref A points were "well taken" and 
would be relayed to FM Gul immediately.  Tuygan had not read 
Assad's speech but said "at a minimum" Assad was not precise 
on the conditions of the Syrian withdrawal.  Ambassador noted 
March 4 press reports that Turkish President Sezer plans a 
visit to Syria; Tuygan replied the visit had been tentatively 
scheduled for April but is now being reconsidered. 
 
Media Commentary 
---------------- 
 
6.  (SBU) There has been much media comment about Syria.  In 
an interview published March 2 in the newspaper Hurriyet, FM 
Gul characterized Assad as popular in Syria and said he 
should be supported.  The few commentators who have addressed 
Gul's comments have been critical.  Commentators have been 
split on the larger question of Turkey's relations with 
Syria.  However, when we spoke to one AK MP privately about 
Gul's comments, he made no attempt to defend them (he is not 
in the Gul camp), quickly dismissing them as "wrong." 
 
Another Bland MFA Statement 
--------------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) On March 7, the MFA issued a statement on Syria and 
Lebanon.  Like the February 14 statements, it was notably 
bland, supporting Lebanese independence and UNSCR 1559, 
saying that 1559's implementation "has gained crucial 
importance."  The statement called for free elections in 
Lebanon and said Turkey "is pleased that Syrian units will 
begin to be withdrawn from Lebanon today (sic)." 
EDELMAN