US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3165

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 ANKARA 003165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, SY, CY, IZ, PHUM 
SUBJECT: CONGRESSIONAL TURKEY STUDY GROUP/CODEL WEXLER 
VISIT TURKEY, MAY 31-JUNE 2 
 
 
 (U) Classified by CDA James Moore, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  The Congressional Turkey Study Group 
visited Turkey May 31 - June 2, meeting with PM Erdogan, FM 
Gul, CHOD Ozkok, Economy Minster and chief EU negotiator 
Babacan, DefMin Gonul, Parliament Speaker Arinc.  Media 
coverage was positive, even from normally anti-U.S. outlets. 
All expressed appreciation for the Group's direct flight to 
and from north Cyprus.  On Iraq, most interlocutors focused 
on areas of U.S./Turkish cooperation and the need to continue 
it.  The Group raised Turkey's warming relations with Syria 
several times, including with the PM, but made little 
headway.  Economy Minister Babacan emphasized the GOT's 
commitment to economic reform.  In Istanbul, the Group 
discussed religious freedom with Jewish community and 
Ecumenical Patriarchate representatives.  End Summary. 
 
Media Atmospherics 
------------------ 
 
2.  (U) The Study Group,s visit to northern Cyprus generated 
uniformly positive coverage, even in media outlets generally 
hostile to the United States.  A front-page story in the 
mainstream daily &Milliyet8 hailed the visit as &an 
historic step,8 and one of the paper,s more anti-American 
columnists wrote that the visit showed that &the Americans 
can do what the EU can,t.8  In the Islamist-oriented &Yeni 
Safak,8 a paper generally brimming with hostility to the U. 
S., the headline was Representative Whitfield,s comment: &I 
hope President Papadopoulos Got the Message.8  All media 
outlets viewed the visit as a breakthrough for Turkish 
Cypriots, and many interpreted it as a U.S. effort to bring 
the Greek Cypriots back to the negotiating table.  Many 
commentators argued that the delegation's visit would 
significantly improve the atmosphere in U.S.-Turkish 
relations on the eve of the Prime Minister,s visit to 
Washington. 
 
Parliament Speaker Arinc 
------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Speaker Arinc 
emphasized the importance of inter-parliamentary visits.  He 
expressed satisfaction with his recent visit to the U.S. and 
encouraged more exchanges between U.S. members of Congress 
and Turkish parliamentarians.  Arinc and two other TGNA 
members attending the meeting -- Egemen Bagis (AKP) and 
Mustafa Elekdag (CHP) -- applauded the Study Group for their 
important and courageous decision to visit northern Cyprus. 
Arinc also stated, however, that "we need to eliminate 
outside influences on our relationship."  (Comment:  Most 
likely directed against the Greek and Armenian lobbies in the 
U.S.  End Comment.) 
 
PM Erdogan 
---------- 
 
4.  (C) Expressing appreciation for the Study Group's trip 
directly to north Cyprus and back, Erdogan reiterated GOT 
complaints about the Republic of Cyprus' entry into the EU 
despite rejecting the Annan Plan referendum.  Asserting that 
the U.S.-Turkish strategic partnership continues, Erdogan 
called the Study Group an important vehicle to improve 
strategic cooperation.  He complained at length about 
Armenian diaspora efforts to obtain genocide resolutions. 
Erdogan called for more determination from the U.S. side to 
raise bilateral trade (i.e., Turkish exports), and looked in 
particular to new efforts from the Study Group. 
 
5.  (C) Representative Whitfield emphasized the importance of 
building personal trust even if on some issues there could be 
significant differences of opinion.  In praising Erdogan's 
policies on Cyprus and Afghanistan, Representative Wexler 
noted concerns about the AKP government's policies toward 
Syria.  As even the MFA's former Undersecretary Ziyal had 
underscored, the only way to be successful with Syria is to 
apply consistent, unified pressure on its regime.  In this 
regard, compared to the U.S., western Europe, and Syria's 
Arab neighbors, Turkey's posture appears different. 
 
6.  (C) Erdogan rejected this analysis.  He claimed Turkey's 
role in Syria's pullout from Lebanon was "very large."  It 
was after Erdogan's and during President Sezer's subsequent 
visit that Assad said he would withdraw; thus, the Turkish 
visits caused the withdrawal.  He asserted that Assad is open 
to democracy and reform, adding that patience is needed. 
Turkey is able to cooperate with Syria against terrorism, 
both PKK and "religious terrorists." 
 
State Minister Babacan 
----------------------- 
 
7.  (C) Economy Minister (and newly-named EU Chief 
Negotiator) Ali Babacan briefed the Study Group on positive 
developments in the Turkish economy since the 2001 financial 
crisis.  Babacan reiterated the GOT's commitment to a tight 
fiscal policy and central bank independence.  Stressing the 
importance of foreign investment and the GOT's interest in 
encouraging foreign investment, he said that continued 
economic and political stability and predictability should 
encourage greater FDI in Turkey. 
 
8.  (C) Babacan acknowledged Turkey needs to do more to 
improve the investment climate; legal and judicial reform 
were particularly important.  He noted that bilateral trade 
with the U.S. was growing at a slower pace than Turkey's 
overall foreign trade, and said that the U.S. should remain 
an important economic partner for Turkey even as Turkey grew 
closer to the EU.  The World Bank would support reforms, but 
he predicted the IMF's role will decline as economic 
stability becomes better entrenched.  Representatives 
Whitfield and Wexler emphasized the importance of a clean and 
fair judicial system.  Wexler highlighted the problems faced 
by U.S. companies, notably Motorola and Eli Lily. 
 
9.  (C) Babacan said the AKP government was committed to 
legal reform, but that had to proceed carefully so as not be 
accused of eroding judicial independence.  He cited 
Motorola's problems as an example of how the courts had 
stymied the GOT's efforts to recover funds stolen by the Uzan 
family (which defrauded GOT-insured depositors in its banks 
as well as Motorola) and its efforts to reach a final 
settlement with Motorola. 
 
FM Gul 
------ 
 
10.  (C) Calling relations with the U.S. "special", Gul asked 
the Study Group for its views.  Representative Whitfield 
undertook to pursue more initiatives to end the isolation of 
northern Cyprus.  Praising various GOT initiatives, 
Representative Wexler reiterated Washington's concern over 
Syria, Assad's sponsorship of terrorism, and Syria's negative 
role in Iraq.  If Erdogan were to give to President Bush the 
same response he had given the Study Group, the reaction 
would be one of extraordinary astonishment.  In Washington 
talks at the end of May, Abu Mazen and his delegation said 
that the Palestinians' major concern is not Sharon or Israel, 
but rather Hizbollah.  Moreover, Hizbollah's continued 
existence as a separate armed force is inconsistent with 
Lebanon's exercise of sovereignty.  What message does the GOT 
deliver to the Syrians and Iranians regarding Hizbollah? 
 
11.  (C) Gul answered merely by expressing in general terms 
common Turkish-U.S. interests in democracy in the region and 
praising the Study Group's visit to northern Cyprus. 
Regarding Syria, Gul said Turkey wants to see common values 
flourish in the whole region.  Old habits continue, to be 
sure, but Syria is Turkey's neighbor; families are separated, 
creating a humanitarian issue.  Gul opined that Turkey's 
approach is helping Syria change positively.  There are 
different power centers in Syria, Turkey is realistic, and 
the U.S. should see Turkey's relations with Syria in this 
overall context. 
 
12.  (C) Concerning Iraq, Gul said the danger is that the 
country will become a new breeding ground for terrorists and 
terrorism will become more problematic in the future as a 
result.  Gul called for greater U.S./Turkish cooperation. 
The GOT appreciated U.S. efforts to encourage Ja'afari to 
visit Ankara for what were very good talks. 
 
13.  (C) Concerning Lebanon and Hizbollah, Gul asserted that 
Hariri had been "a good friend".  However, Lebanon is 
fragile, and we should all help the Lebanese, but through 
gradual steps.  Gul thought it be possible to create unified 
Lebanese forces including Hizbollah and said all should help 
them. 
 
CHOD Ozkok 
---------- 
 
14. (C) Turkish General Staff (TGS) Chief General Hilmi Ozkok 
welcomed the Congressional Study Group warmly.  He provided a 
brief history of US-Turkish security cooperation.  Ozkok 
allowed that the Iraq War was "a little different" because of 
the March 1, 2003 parliamentary vote preventing the 4th 
Infantry Division from passing through Turkey.  Nonetheless, 
he argued, this was only a part of the Iraq operation.  The 
uncertainty of what Turkey would do before March 1 and 
whether the vote might be reconsidered kept Iraqi troops 
fixed in the north.  Turkey opened its air space to coalition 
aircraft and missiles, and permitted special forces and 
intelligence personnel and even vehicles to transit.  Any 
accusation that Turkey did not cooperate with the war effort 
was "cruel." 
 
15. (C) Ozkok said another example of close 
military-to-military cooperation among the two countries' 
senior officers was the July 4 incident in Suleymania (when 
US forces arrested Turkish special forces for plotting to 
kill a local mayor).  Ozkok said the frank discussions he was 
able to have with SACEUR/EUCOM CDR General James Jones and 
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers 
because of their long-standing close relationship helped 
contain the damage that incident inflicted on the 
relationship.   U.S. press reports about problems within the 
bilateral relationship caused TGS to reexamine the state of 
affairs.  The conclusion was that, while there are problems, 
there is no crisis in relations.  He denied the existence of 
anti-Americanism in Turkey, allowing only that there was a 
temporary rise in suspicions about U.S. intentions in the 
region. 
 
16. (C) Ozkok was effusive in expressing appreciation for the 
Group's visit to northern Cyprus.  Representative Wexler said 
that he and his colleagues would be considering other steps 
to help ease the Turkish Cypriots' isolation.  He also 
expressed appreciation for PM Erdogan's handling of the 
issue.  Ozkok believed the trip to the north would help 
resolve the Cyprus issue, but worried the Greek Cypriots 
believed time was on their side.  Turkey had already agreed 
in the Annan Plan to reduce its military presence to 650 
persons, now it was the other side's turn, but little 
attention is paid to the south's military forces.  Pressure 
on Nicosia from the U.S. or the UK would help, he said. 
 
17. (C) Turning to regional issues, Ozkok expressed strong 
support for the Broader Middle East and North Africa 
Initiative (BMENAI), asserting that democratization in the 
region benefits Turkey's security.  He devoted several 
minutes to an explanation about why Turks chafe when others 
refer to Turkey as an "Islamic country;" "secularism is 
essential for democracy," he declared.  He also argued that 
Turkey should not be considered a "model" for the region, 
although he accepted that it might inspire others to strive 
for democracy. 
 
18. (C) Regarding Central Asia, he worried competition for 
access to the region's resources by China, Russia and India 
would require Turkey and the U.S. to move quickly to ensure 
their own access and market share.  Ozkok observed that the 
importance of the Black Sea was increasing, and that there 
were suspicions of various forms of trafficking and persons 
occurring in the region.  He thought the littoral states 
should have primary responsibility for maintaining security 
in the maritime area.  Having others do it could run up 
against Montreaux Convention limitations on foreign warships 
in the straits and in the Black Sea, he said. 
 
19. (C) Representative Wexler expressed appreciation for 
Ozkok's presentation, for Turkey's contributions to 
Afghanistan, and for Turkey's hosting for a decade the forces 
that enforced the northern no-fly zone (NFZ) over Iraq that 
contributed to preparing the battlefield for the Iraq War. 
Ozkok agreed about the NFZ preparing the battlefield, and 
noted that doing so gave rise to Kurdish autonomy that could 
create problems for Turkey later. 
 
20. (C) Wexler noted that there was confusion over the 
messages Turkey seemed to be sending on Syria.  Coordinating 
Turkish policy toward Syria and Iraq with the USG would be 
important for the future of the relationship.  He hoped Ozkok 
was giving the PM good advice. 
 
21. (C) Representative Whitfield relayed CJCS Gen. Myers' 
regards to Ozkok.  He noted that senior officers at Fort 
Campbell, in his district, had emphasized Turkey's 
importance.  He thanked Ozkok for his leadership. 
Representatives Deal and Johnson echoed Whitfield's remarks. 
 
22. (C) Representative Wexler asked Ozkok for his assessment 
of Iran's nuclear program and asked why Turkey had not taken 
any initiatives in the OIC on the issue.  Ozkok demurred, 
saying that this was a political matter more appropriately 
addressed to MFA.  Nonetheless, he offered that Turkey needed 
to be a bit "softer" with its neighbors; however, that did 
not mean that Turkey did not share the same evaluation of the 
threat.  The nuclear axis -- China, India, Pakistan, maybe 
Iran -- is approaching Turkey.  Iran's beginning nuclear 
enrichment would "make it difficult for me to sleep," he 
said.  He advocated a peaceful solution, like the EU-3 
process, that took into account the emotional nature of the 
Iranian people and their perceptions of the world. 
 
DefMin Gonul 
------------ 
 
23. (C) Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul hosted a lunch for the 
delegation where he highly praised the Group for the visit to 
north Cyprus.  He welcomed the opportunity to meet with "true 
friends" to discuss bilateral relations and ways to improve 
security and cooperation around the world.  He said that he 
viewed Turkey and the U.S. as "two indispensable partners, 
and we must act like it."  Turning to regional issues, Gonul 
declared Turkey's support in bringing peace, prosperity and 
stability to Iraq, citing the approval of the Incirlik 
logistics cargo hub.  He noted that eliminating the PKK 
presence in Iraq would be important in stabilizing Iraq and 
greatly appreciated by the Turkish people.  He pointed to the 
BTC pipeline as an example of the U.S. and Turkey's "unique 
partnership."  He closed by expressing appreciation for the 
delegation members' courage in standing up to pressure on 
issues such as the Armenian genocide resolution. 
 
24.  (C) Representative Wexler responded by noting that the 
Study Group was one of only four in Congress and its 
existence reflects the importance of the bilateral 
relationship.  He noted that the great friendship the two 
countries enjoyed allowed for the discussion of problems in a 
positive way.  On the genocide resolution, he praised 
Erdogan's transparency in opening Turkey's archives and 
called  on Armenia to reciprocate.  Finally, on the 
delegation's visit to north Cyprus, Wexler characterized it 
as a symbolic gesture to end isolation, and he reiterated 
that the delegation would explore other steps after it 
returned to Washington.  He commended Erdogan and Turkey for 
embracing the Annan Plan. 
 
PM Erdogan Advisor Celik 
------------------------ 
 
25.  (C) After the Study Group departed, Representative 
Wexler met individually with PM Erdogan policy advisor (and 
parliamentarian) Omer Celik.  Wexler pressed Celik hard on 
Syria and Iran.  In an arid, jargon-filled, abstract 
response, Celik claimed he is the voice of pro-Western 
reason, whereas some others in the GOT do not recognize the 
dangers.  However, he added, it is important to proceed 
prudently. 
 
PM Erdogan Advisor Davutoglu 
---------------------------- 
 
26.  (C) Representative Wexler also delivered a tough message 
on Syria to Erdogan foreign policy advisor Ahmet Davutoglu. 
Davutoglu claimed to be pleased at the "direct" 
communication.  He justified Turkey's warming relations with 
Syria as part of Turkey's strategy to achieve "stability" and 
reduce tension in relations with neighboring countries.  He 
urged Wexler not to misperceive Turkish intentions toward 
Syria:  Turkey does not support totalitarianism, seeks a more 
democratic Syria, and has urged Syria not to interfere in 
Lebanon. 
 
27.  (C) Ambassador Edelman replied that, given Davutoglu's 
recitation of Turkey's policy aims, its Syrian strategy has 
been an abject failure:  despite Turkey's supposed urgings 
over the past months, Syria manipulated Lebanese politics, 
delayed withdrawal, and is at least indirectly responsible 
for Hariri's murder.  Moreover, the international community 
has perceived Turkish policy as a lifeline to the Assad 
regime.  The Ambassador warned Davutoglu that this policy is 
not credible in Washington.  Davutoglu doubted that pressure 
would have been more effective; he then changed the subject, 
citing Turkey's domestic reforms and its policy in other 
areas.  The Ambassador told Davutoglu PM Erdogan would hear 
more about Turkey's Syria policy in Washington.  "We will try 
to develop convincing arguments," Davutoglu replied. 
 
Istanbul Meetings 
----------------- 
 
28.  (C) In Istanbul, the Study Group focused on religious 
freedom issues, meeting both with representatives of the 
Jewish Community and of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. 
Discussion with Jewish Community President Silvyo Ovadyo and 
Vice Presidents Sami Herman and Lina Filiba focused on the 
recent surge of anti-semitism in Turkey, including the 
worrying fact that "Mein Kampf" has made several bestseller 
lists.  Ovadyo stressed his belief, however, that modern 
technology has made the surge seem more dramatic than it 
actually is.  Anti-Semitic writings in obscure journals have 
always existed in Turkey, he argued.  The difference today is 
that with the internet, such opinions are more accessible to 
a broader audience, which makes them seem more prevalent.  He 
questioned, however, whether that in fact was the case.  At 
the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Metropolitan Meliton of 
Philadelphia outlined the property, educational, and 
succession issues that confront the institution, and 
presented a paper to Representative Whitfield providing 
further details. 
 
29.  (C) In addition, the Study Group participated in events 
commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Turkish-American 
Business Council (TAIK), with retired Representatives Larocco 
and Buechner participating in morning panel discussions at 
Bogazici University, and Representative Whitfield delivering 
the keynote address at TAIK's anniversary dinner. 
 
30.  (U) The Study Group/Wexler CODEL did not have an 
opportunity to clear this cable. 
MOORE