US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4190

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004190 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015 
TAGS: PREL, TU, LE, SY 
SUBJECT: TURKEY/LEBANON 
 
(U) Classified by CDA Nancy McEldowney, E.O. 12958, reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S) Summary:  In the wake of PM Erdogan's June visit to 
Lebanon, the first by a Turkish PM in 50 years, Turkish MFA 
and Lebanese embassy spin relations as excellent.  MFA and 
embassy contacts claim Erdogan pressed democratization and 
implementation of UNSCR 1559 during the visit, and urged 
leaders to form a government.  They also assert Erdogan 
pressed for disarmament of Hizbullah, but he failed to 
deliver a crisp public message on that point during the trip. 
 The MFA believes Syrian intelligence elements remain in 
Lebanon and says it considers this unacceptable.  End summary. 
 
June Erdogan Visit 
------------------ 
 
2.  (U) PM Erdogan's June 15-16 visit to Lebanon was the 
first by a Turkish PM in 50 years.  Erdogan's interlocutors 
included President Lahoud, Parliament Speaker Berri, and 
caretaker PM Mikati. 
 
3.  (C) Both Turkish MFA Middle East Department Head Bozay 
and Lebanese DCM Samad described Erdogan's June visit to 
Lebanon as focused mostly on economic matters, Bozay saying 
Turkey believes economic prosperity in Lebanon will 
strengthen democratic values.  Erdogan's Beirut visit 
included attending the Arab Economic Forum and giving the 
keynote address at the Lebanese/Turkish Business Council 
meeting. 
 
4.  (C) Bozay and Samad tried to stress that Erdogan also 
pressed democratization and implementation of UNSCR 1559 
during his visit, urged Lebanese leaders not delay in forming 
a government, and denounced the Rafik Hariri murder. 
According to Bozay, Turkey hopes to see Hariri's son Sa'ad 
gain strength; Bozay told us Erdogan "personally" instructed 
the MFA to draft only one congratulatory letter after the 
election -- to Sa'ad. 
 
5.  (C) Samad claimed that Erdogan also "relayed the U.S. 
vision for the Middle East" to Lebanese leaders, including 
President Lahoud.  Samad noted pointedly that Erdogan's 
Lebanon visit came just days after his meeting with President 
Bush. 
 
6.  (C) Samad termed current Turkish-Lebanese relations 
"excellent."  Economic relations are improving.  According to 
Samad, Erdogan is "well-respected and listened to" in 
Lebanon.  Samad said "we cannot forget what he said last year 
(referring to Erdogan's statements calling Israeli treatment 
of Palestinians 'state terror') and how he boycotted visits 
and pressed Israel." 
 
MFA Believes Syrian Intelligence Still Present In Lebanon 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
7.  (S) The Turkish MFA is convinced Syrian intelligence 
elements remain in Lebanon.  Bozay's assessment to us is that 
some Syrian intelligence personnel left but were replaced by 
new personnel; he called this unacceptable.  He also told us 
he has seen reports Syrian intelligence personnel are "coming 
and going" in Lebanon.  However, he conceded that Turkey 
"does not have strong intelligence" in Lebanon. 
 
Hizbullah 
--------- 
 
8.  (C) Both Samad and Bozay claimed Erdogan pressed for 
disarmament of Hizbullah during his visit.   However, when 
the subject came up during his press conference with Lebanese 
PM Mikati, Erdogan went off on a tangent, complaining about 
terrorism in Turkey, and concluding that "the best thing is 
for each country to decide what is most suitable to safeguard 
its security and stability."  According to Bozay, Erdogan's 
statement was intended to emphasize the difficulty of 
disarming Hizbullah. 
 
9.  (C) According to Bozay, Turkey hopes Hizbullah moves 
toward political participation, which will move them away 
from violence.  However, he said Turkey does "not know 
Hizbullah's intentions."  Bozay said Turkey "has no official 
contacts" with Hizbullah, saying this is "taboo."  Samad also 
doubts Turkey has contact with Hizbullah. 
 
Lebanese Diplomat Views Turkish/Syrian Relations 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
10.  (C) Samad scoffed at the notion that Bashar Asad is a 
would-be reformer, a view widespread in the GOT and Turkish 
bureaucracy.  However, he professes to believe Damascus 
listens to Turkey and that good Turkish/Syrian relations will 
benefit Lebanon -- if Turkey presses Syria not to interfere 
in Lebanon. 
MCELDOWNEY