US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3892

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003892 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, IZ, SY, IR, TU 
SUBJECT: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES UNDERSCORES USG PRIORITIES WITH 
TURKEY'S NSC SECRETARY-GENERAL ALPOGAN 
 
Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (S/NF)  SUMMARY: In her introductory call on Turkey's NSC 
Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan, Charge d'Affaires (CDA) 
 
SIPDIS 
urged Turkey to get in lockstep with the US on Syria and 
Iran, noted continuing USG efforts to recognize northern 
Cyprus' April 2004 vote in support of the Annan Plan and 
inquired about PKK action inside Turkey.  She urged Turkey to 
maintain momentum in preparation for the Oct. 3 start of EU 
accession negotiations and pressed the government to publicly 
welcome Christian missionaries to Turkey and to prosecute 
those who commit violence against them.  On Syria, Alpogan 
stuck to the government line that President Assad should be 
given time to implement reforms but, on Iran, suggested that 
Turkey's past policy of cooperation would have to be 
re-evaluated in light of Ahmadinejad's election as President. 
 Alpogan said Turkey was committed to the EU accession talks. 
 He expected Turkey to sign the Ankara Agreement Extension 
Protocol in July but to take no further steps towards a 
Cyprus solution until Cypriot President Papadopoulos leaves 
office.  He pledged to publicly support missionary work in 
Turkey.  Alpogan did not rule out joint actions in Turkey 
against the PKK but suggested that US hand-over of PKK 
members captured in northern Iraq would provide great mileage 
for bilateral relations.  He welcomed an early October or 
November time frame for his first visit to Washington as 
SecGen.  (We request guidance in para. 9.) END SUMMARY. 
 
TIME TO MOVE FROM WORDS TO ACTION ON SYRIA 
------------------------------------------ 
 
2. (C) Charge characterized President Bush's June 8 meeting 
with PM Erdogan as a positive step to move the bilateral 
relationship forward.  However, she noted that the issues of 
Syria and Iran remained areas of potential disagreement.  The 
US had made clear our concerns about Syrian actions to 
interfere in Lebanon's democratization process and undermine 
the Middle East Peace Process and about the use of Syria as a 
base by Iraqi resistance forces for operations in Iraq. 
Alpogan responded that the official government line was to 
give Bashar Assad more time and opportunity to get engaged; 
to help him to reform his own government.  This requires 
continued dialogue.  Charge pointed out that given evidence 
of Syria's interference in Lebanon, Iraq and Israel, the time 
for dialogue was running out.  Without committing to any 
specific action, Alpogan acknowledged that following a visit 
to Israel he better understood the Israeli perspective and 
said the NSC periodically shares its views with the 
government. 
 
TURKEY REVIEWING ITS POLICY TOWARDS IRAN 
---------------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) Alpogan acknowledged that Ahmadinejad's recent 
election as Iran's President came as a surprise to Turkey, 
and called his receipt of two-thirds of the votes "shocking." 
 Alpogan said he did not expect revolutionary change 
following the election because the mullahs control the 
country, and, like past President Khatami, Ahmadinejad will 
gradually become powerless.  Still, Turkey will re-evaluate 
its past policies in support of a stable relationship, 
economic cooperation and the EU-3 process on Iran's nuclear 
program.  Charge urged close coordination between the US and 
Turkey on Iran, noting the large reform element in the 
population.  Alpogan agreed on the need for cooperation but 
said that the election results belie the existence of a large 
reform element in Iran.  He compared Iranian reformers to 
wealthy, educated Istanbulites who say Turkey is ready for 
the EU, oblivious to the large majority of the country that 
doesn't share their circumstances or perspective. 
 
NO PROGRESS ON CYPRUS UNTIL PAPADOPOULOS GONE 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Noting USG efforts to support northern Cyprus through 
the recent visits of trade and Congressional delegations, 
increased scholarships to northern Cypriot students and other 
measures, Charge asked about Turkey's strategy to address the 
Cyprus problem.  Alpogan thanked the US for its support and 
expressed his hope that we would continue these types of 
measures.  He said Turkey's plan is to wait out Cypriot 
President Papadopoulos and deal with his successor.  Claiming 
"there is no hope for him," Alpogan characterized 
Papadopoulos as "anti-Turk, anti-solution and a terrorist." 
He dismissed any hope of a compromise with the President, 
saying "Nothing can be done with him; nothing is ever final 
with him because he changes his opinion. Turkey will wait two 
years until he is gone and will ask the EU to be patient." 
In Alpogan's view, nothing short of this would push the Greek 
Cypriots to work towards a solution. 
 
BUT WE WILL SIGN THE EXTENSION PROTOCOL IN JULY 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
5. (C) On a more positive note, Alpogan expected Turkey to 
sign the Ankara Agreement Extension protocol in July.  Turkey 
and the EU had agreed on the text, which is being translated. 
 Charge underscored continued USG support for Turkey's EU 
accession process.  Welcoming PM Erdogan's positive 
statements about Turkey's accession efforts in the wake of 
the French and Dutch referendums, she emphasized the 
importance of continued reforms and a positive public 
relations effort. 
 
ALPOGAN PLEDGES PUBLIC SUPPORT OF MISSIONARIES 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
6. (C) Charge welcomed the decision on the Protocol but said 
other issues had to be managed before Oct. 3, such as 
religious tolerance, and specifically Turkey's perceived 
discrimination against Christian missionaries.  She pressed 
for public government statements welcoming missionaries and 
law enforcement action against those who perpetrate crimes 
against them.  Saying he had publicly supported the US/Turkey 
relationship during the recent difficulties in the bilateral 
relationship because it was important -- and that the Chief 
of the Turkish General Staff (CHOD) had followed his lead -- 
Alpogan pledged to make a public statement welcoming 
missionaries to Turkey.  He cautioned that he could not speak 
for others in the government, however, and that he would need 
to carefully time his statement and include it in a broader 
message on other issues in order for it to be effective. 
 
JOINING FORCES AGAINST THE PKK IN TURKEY 
---------------------------------------- 
 
7. (S/NF) The PKK terrorist group is a problem that the US 
and Turkey share, said the Charge.  The USG has taken some 
steps against the PKK but had been unable to fulfill Turkey's 
request for action in northern Iraq given the security 
situation.  Until circumstances on the ground change enough 
to allow action in northern Iraq, there might be other steps 
the US and Turkey could take inside Turkey.  Alpogan said 
that if the date was not disclosed and the actions were kept 
quiet it might be possible.  However, in his opinion, a 
symbolic but very public action, such as the hand-over of the 
3-4 PKK members recently captured by US troops in northern 
Iraq to Turkey - with or without Osman Ocalan -- would be of 
great positive significance to US/Turkish relations.  Alpogan 
said that the hand-over could be broadly publicized and would 
generate significant goodwill.  (Note: We have no information 
to suggest CF are holding any PKK members in Iraq.  End Note.) 
 
NSC REORGANIZATION A WORK IN PROGRESS 
------------------------------------- 
 
8. (C) Alpogan called the NSC restructuring process which 
began with his appointment nine months ago a work in 
progress.  With the NSC's new legislative mandate to act as 
an advisory body, duties had been revised, staff had been 
reduced from over 300 to around 100 and there were no plans 
to hire additional personnel.  Alpogan claimed the support of 
the President, Prime Minister and CHOD but admitted it would 
take time to get complete military buy-in.  Despite press 
reports that the postponement of a decision on a new National 
Security Policy document -- expected at the June 21 NSC 
meeting -- was based on Turkish General Staff unhappiness 
with the wording on Cyprus, internal separatist threats and 
the importance of the nation state as well as the abbreviated 
length -- down to 21 pages from over 200 -- Alpogan claimed 
there was no disagreement among the agencies but that more 
time was needed for review.  In a change from the past, the 
new document did not list specific internal and external 
threats.  Instead it focused on important foreign policy 
issues such as weapons of mass destruction, international 
terrorism and illegal migration.  Alpogan had agreed to 
postpone discussion of the policy document to the NSC meeting 
in August but in actuality did not plan to "burden the 
meeting" with this document since that meeting would likely 
be reserved for farewell speeches in honor of several 
Generals whose retirement would be announced at the annual 
Supreme Military Council meeting in early August.  (Note: NSC 
meetings are bimonthly so this effectively puts off 
discussion until October.  End Note.) 
 
9. (U) Charge offered to share information on the 
organization and function of the US NSC and looked forward to 
a visit by Alpogan to Washington to compare notes firsthand. 
Alpogan welcomed a opportunity to do so this fall at a time 
convenient to NSA Hadley.  He asked for two alternative time 
frames and suggested early October or early November. 
(Comment: Post would appreciate Department assistance to 
check NSA Hadley's availability during these time periods. 
End Comment.) 
 
 
 
MCELDOWNEY