US embassy cable - 05ANKARA5843

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005843 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, MNUC, TU, US, EU, IR, IZ, SY, IS, PA 
SUBJECT: APNSA HADLEY'S MEETING WITH TURKISH MFA U/S TUYGAN 
 
Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  U/S Tuygan and APNSA Hadley both stressed 
the importance of U.S.-Turkish strategic partnership and 
agreed on the need for a bilateral strategic dialogue 
concerning the full range of cooperation on regional issues. 
Tuygan, however, also implied that Turkey feels overburdened 
by EU demands for concessions and had &reached its limits.8 
 
End summary. 
 
2. (C) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ali 
Tuygan and APNSA Stephen Hadley met in Ankara on September 
24.  Tuygan said that the U.S. and Turkey have a long 
standing relationship and alliance based on cooperation and 
shared security concerns.  Turkey and the U.S., asserted 
Tuygan, share a common vision regarding regional issues. 
Hadley stressed the importance of intensifying, revising, 
and regularizing the defense and foreign ministry structures 
for greater U.S.-Turkish dialogue addressing a host of 
strategic issues so that the two countries can develop a 
common understanding.  Hadley said his main message is that 
the USG and the GOT need to have a strategic conversation 
on Turkey,s dual vocation as a full European partner and 
Turkey,s role in a region that represents policy priorities 
for President Bush: advance of the democracy agenda and 
combating international terrorism. 
 
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IRAQ AND PKK 
------------ 
 
3. (C) Tuygan stated that the U.S. and Turkey shared the 
same goal of wanting to see the establishment of a unified 
and democratic Iraq.  He stated that he knew how important 
the Iraqi issue was to the USG, but he also boldly asserted 
that the issue was one hundred times more important to 
Turkey.  He hypothesized that the uncertainty of Iraq,s 
future had introduced an element of uneasiness into the 
U.S.-Turkish relationship.  U.S.-Turkish dialogue helped to 
remove some of this uneasiness, claimed Tuygan, but the 
only real cure for the problem would be an Iraqi "final 
settlement." 
 
4. (C) Tuygan noted the importance of the PKK issue and 
reminded the U.S. side that Turkish people were dying, but 
he was quick to add that he had been a strong advocate of 
looking at the broader U.S.-Turkish strategic relationship 
and not simply focusing on the PKK.  Tuygan segued onto the 
Kirkuk issue and stressed that the movement of peoples and 
attempts at demographic change should be "rolled back". 
Tuygan said that Iraqi elections should be "conducted in a 
way that does not create divisions." 
 
5. (C) APNSA Hadley stressed that Iraq is a very 
challenging problem and that American soldiers are dying 
every day in Iraq.  The U.S., moreover, understands Turkey,s 
concerns regarding the Turkmen, Kurds, and status of 
Kirkuk.  The terrorists in Iraq are trying to create a base 
of operations in Iraq so they can export their terror to 
other 
countries in the region, and the U.S. homeland.  The U.S. 
believes the new Iraqi constitution will be accepted by the 
people in a referendum and the USG believes many Iraqi Sunnis 
are committed to rejoining the political process.  The U.S. 
wants to see Iraq establish a broad, representative, and 
unified government. 
 
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IRAN 
---- 
 
6. (C) Tuygan asserted that Turkey relations with Iran are 
very important.  Turkey has shared a peaceful border with 
Iran for over 200 years.  Tehran tried for a while to 
export its revolution, but it is no longer trying to 
undermine the Turkish regime.  The two countries have an 
important trade relationship (Tuygan stressed this three 
times) and an important energy relationship.  Iran, 
moreover, is Turkey,s gateway to Central Asia. 
 
7. (C) Tuygan stated that Turkey is trying to encourage 
moderation in Iran.  Tuygan stated that "we should take 
more effort to analyze the (domestic) development in Iran" 
and implied that the recent electoral outcomes may not have 
been the result of hardliner strength, but of the alienation 
of the reformists.  Tuygan asserted that "we should take 
care to preserve (the) momentum for change in a positive 
direction."  Turkey, he said, recognizes Iran,s right to a 
peaceful civil nuclear program with transparency and 
cooperation 
with the IAEA.  However, if Iran -- or any country in the 
region -- acquired nuclear weapons, then it would be 
problematic for Turkey.  Tuygan also stressed that Iran,s 
existence in the region is a "reality" with which Turkey 
has to deal. 
8. (C) Hadley stressed that he U.S. does not see reformist 
or moderate elements within the Iranian regime: Iran is an 
anti-democratic regime that sponsors terror.  The USG is 
serious about the dangers of a nuclear armed Iran.  The USG 
is not opposed to a civil nuclear program, but the real 
problem is reprocessing and enrichment.  He reminded Tuygan 
that Iran pursued a secret nuclear enrichment and 
reprocessing 
program for fifteen years. 
 
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EUROPEAN UNION 
-------------- 
 
9. (C) Tuygan said that Turkey is going through a period of 
immense disappointment regarding the European Union and the 
counter declaration statement.  Turkey is reminding the EU 
that they made a strategic decision to start membership 
negotiations on October 3 and Turkey wants the talks to get 
a "decent and fair" start.  Start of talks is important to 
convey a message during this time of talk about Muslim 
terrorism in the West.  He added that starting talks will be 
a 
concrete message aimed at preventing a clash of cultures. 
Turkey hopes that the negotiation framework remains intact, 
despite the tone and content of the counter declaration. 
Tuygan asserted that Turkey could handle the EU acquis, 
but they could not handle the EU acquis and other EU 
demands on issues sensitive to Turkey (e.g. Cyprus 
and Armenia) at the same time.  The EU is making too many 
demands for concessions ) Turkey is tired of being presented 
with a shopping list and has reached its limit.  He also 
thanked the U.S. for its continued diplomatic support in 
favor of Turkey,s EU candidacy. 
 
10. (C) Hadley told Tuygan that the U.S.,s message on 
Turkey-E.U. relations is that Turkey should "stay with 
it."  The Europeans understand Turkey,s redlines and cooler 
heads will prevail in Europe.  Europe is going through a 
period of weakness: the EU Constitution failed, Germany is 
going to have a weak coalition government, and France is in 
political turmoil. 
 
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ISRAEL-PALESTINE, SYRIA, CENTRAL ASIA, AND PROLIFERATION 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
11. (C) Tuygan said that Turkey supports democratization 
and reform in Central Asia and Turkey hopes to be more 
active in pursuing this agenda, but they do not want to 
encourage chaos in the region.  Tuygan also claimed that 
Turkey has an ongoing dialogue with Damascus and the GOT is 
trying to encourage the SARG to "do better."  Tuygan 
recalled that Ankara had successfully pressured Syria to 
oust former PKK leader Ocalan several years ago by 
establishing a security mechanism with Damascus.  Tuygan 
opined that this "methodology" was something the USG could 
apply towards Syria. 
 
12. (C) Hadley praised the constructive role Turkey has 
played in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.  He noted that 
Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has taken a huge positive step with 
the Gaza pullout, despite lots of public pressure against 
him.  Palestinian leader Abu Abbas must now seize his 
moment, bring a new generation of leadership into the 
Palestian Authority, and take control of the security 
situation.  Abbas must be encouraged, supported, and 
pressured to make sure that he seizes this leadership 
opportunity. 
 
13. (C) Hadley strongly emphasized the importance of 
upcoming talks between Undersecretary for Arms Control and 
International Security Robert Joseph and the GOT regarding 
the A.Q. Khan network.  Turkey has been undertaking an 
investigation into the links between Turkish corporations 
and the A.Q. Khan network.  Hadley stated that the USG 
believes this network has been shut down, but we cannot be 
sure.  Hadley asserted that it is very important that 
Turkey be fully forthcoming with the U.S. regarding this 
network. 
MCELDOWNEY