US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2478

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002478 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, SY, LE, TU 
SUBJECT: SUSTAINING PRESSURE ON SYRIA ON UNSCR 1559: 
TURKEY DEMARCHE 
 
REF: STATE 78006 
 
(U) Classified by Political Counselor John Kunstadter, E.O. 
12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  We made reftel points to Turkish MFA Middle 
East Department Head Bozay April 29.  GOT is awaiting a full 
UN report before coming to any conclusions about Syrian 
withdrawal from Lebanon.  The MFA issued a flaccid April 27 
statement welcoming Syria's withdrawal announcement.  The 
statement made no mention of Hizbullah, nor of the need for 
militias to disarm.  The MFA claims it considers Syrian 
non-interference in Lebanese elections important.  The 
Turkey/Syria FTA is on hold; the GOT is using progress of the 
Syria/EU Association Agreement as a guide.  End Summary. 
 
 
Turkey Awaiting UN Report 
------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Turkey's MFA issued a flaccid statement on April 27 
welcoming Syria's announcement that it had withdrawn from 
Lebanon in compliance with UNSCR 1559.  The statement said 
Turkey hopes Lebanese elections "will be held in an 
environment enabling the Lebanese people to freely exercise 
their political will." 
 
3. (C) MFA Middle East Dept. Head Bozay said the MFA is 
awaiting a full UN report before coming to any conclusions 
about whether Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon is complete. 
He said this is reflected in the MFA's 27 April statement's 
wording that Turkey "hopes" the UN will confirm Syrian 
withdrawal claims. 
 
4.  (C) Bozay claims Turkey has the "same understanding" as 
the U.S. on the importance of Syrian non-interference in 
upcoming Lebanese elections.  He claimed to have met with 
"other institutions" (meaning core institutions of the State) 
and said they also share this understanding. 
 
No Mention of Hizbullah 
----------------------- 
 
5.  (C) We noted that the April 27 announcement did not 
mention Hizbullah, nor even the need for militias to disarm. 
Bozay tried to explain this away as Turkey not wanting to get 
into Lebanon's "internal affairs" and not wanting to give 
Hizbullah "publicity."  Asked about Syrian and Iranian 
support for Hizbullah, he countered that although Turkey is 
"not happy" with Hizbullah, "you (the U.S.) are the ones" who 
should pressure Hizbullah.  Bozay said that although Turkey 
always urges Syria to oppose terrorism, they never explicitly 
mention Hizbullah because "the Syrians will deny it." 
 
Turkey/Syria FTA on Hold 
------------------------ 
 
6.  (C) We again urged that Turkey not ratify the free trade 
agreement with Syria Erdogan agreed to during his December 
2004 visit to Damascus.  Bozay said the agreement is on hold, 
and that Turkey is watching what the EU does on its proposed 
association agreement with Syria as a guide on proceeding 
with the FTA.  The agreement was to have been ratified 
immediately upon Erdogan's return, he said, but was not due 
to pressure from the U.S. and EU. 
 
7.  (C) Asked about media reports regarding efforts to expand 
Turkey's Cilvegozu border gate with Syria, Bozay predicted 
that "technical and economic problems" would prevent it from 
proceeding. 
EDELMAN