US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4789

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004789 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2015 
TAGS: PREL, TU, EU Accession 
SUBJECT: CDA ASSURES TURKISH MFA OF U.S. SUPPORT IN THE EU, 
ADVISES TURKEY TO SHOW THE EU IT'S READY 
 
REF: STATE 150087 
 
(U) Classified by CDA Nancy McEldowney, E.O. 12958, reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  MFA Deputy U/S Apakan called in CDA August 
15 to urge that the U.S approach new EU members in support of 
Turkey's candidacy.  CDA informed Apakan the process is 
underway (reftel), and urged that Turkey act quickly to 
demonstrate to the EU that it is ready for October 3.  End 
Summary. 
 
Requested U.S. Support -- Already Underway 
------------------------------------------ 
 
2.  (C) Apakan noted the U.S. has special ties to some new EU 
members -- Hungary, the Baltics, Poland -- and urged us to 
ask them to become more active on Turkey's behalf with other 
EU members.  CDA told Apakan the process in underway, adding 
that the U.S. will be discreet. 
 
MFA Officials Visiting EU Capitals 
---------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) Apakan informed CDA that MFA officials have begun 
visits to European capitals at the U/S and deputy minister 
level to discuss Turkey's signing of the extension protocol 
of the Ankara Agreement and the EU Negotiating Framework. 
U/S Tuygan has already departed for the Hague, Vienna and 
Paris; Apakan said FM Gul may travel to EU capitals after 
August 25, but dates are undecided.  Turkey's message is that 
it has done its part, now it is the EU's turn, and the EU 
should not allow transformation of the Negotiating Framework 
into a "mission impossible" for Turkey. 
 
4.  (C) CDA assured Apakan the U.S. will continue to strongly 
support Turkey's EU candidacy.  She advised Apakan that 
Turkey should not react to EU internal politicking and should 
resist the urge to engage in a public debate.  Turkey should 
be prepared for the Negotiating Framework to contain things 
it will not like; the real issue is what Turkey can live 
with. 
 
5.  (C) CDA urged that Turkey instead focus on being ready 
for October 3.  She noted the widespread perception that 
Turkey is not ready.  CDA said her own meetings with some 
Turkish officials in Ankara raised the same concerns.  She 
added that Turkey needs to act quickly, before the August 25 
COREPER, and demonstrate the concrete steps it has taken to 
prepare for October 3.  CDA asked, for example, who would 
replace EU Secretariat General head Sungar and who would 
comprise Chief EU Negotiator Babacan's negotiating team; 
there were several seconds of uncomfortable silence. 
 
Cyprus Issues 
------------- 
 
6.  (C) Apakan said Tuygan will speak to the French about the 
extension protocol and assure them Turkey's declaration of 
non-recognition of the ROC will not affect implementation 
(Apakan insisted Turkey has implemented the protocol since 
October 2004).  He noted that the non-recognition declaration 
implicitly acknowledged ROC control over the southern part of 
Cyprus.  CDA noted the possibility that France might not 
object to negotiations commencing without Turkish recognition 
but insist on recognition before negotiations conclude. 
 
7.  (C) Comment:  The MFA swing through Europe is, at best, 
very last-minute and may be too late for the COREPER.  The 
Dutch Political Counselor told us last week that some EU 
capitals have already determined their COREPER strategy. 
Unfortunately, it appears the thrust of the Turkish message 
will be to simply insist that the EU must go forward October 
3, not to demonstrate to the EU that it is ready.  End 
Summary. 
MCELDOWNEY