US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6246

UNCLAS ANKARA 006246 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: OCTOBER 7 LETTER TO SECRETARY RICE FROM TURKISH 
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL 
 
 
1.  Embassy Ankara received a diplomatic note dated October 7 
from the MFA requesting that we forward to the Secretary the 
text of a letter from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Mr. Abdullah Gul.  According to the Turkish 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Turkish Embassy in 
Washington D.C. will forward the original. 
 
2. The text of the letter is as follows: 
 
MESSAGE FROM H.E. MR. ABDULLAH GL, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND 
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY TO H.E. 
MS. CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OF AMERICA 
 
Dear Secretary of State, 
 
I would like to thank you for your letter dated 3rd October 
2005.  I fully share your views on the significance of the EU 
opening accession negotiations with Turkey.  Undoubtedly, 
this development constitutes a historic threshold for 
European and transatlantic communities. 
 
I also wish to express our appreciation for the unwavering 
support that the US Government in general and yourself in 
particular lent to Turkey,s aspirations throughout the 
arduous process.  Your written reaffirmation regarding the US 
position vis a vis NATO membership came at a crucial moment. 
 
Furthermore, I am particularly pleased to see that views of 
our two countries concerning the settlement of the Cyprus 
issue through the efforts of the UN Secretary General on the 
basis of the long established UN parameters remain unchanged. 
 
As our time-tested relations have amply demonstrated, Turkey 
with its well known transatlantic and European orientation, 
will continue to be a staunch partner for both, and will 
resolutely pursue the widely shared goals of promoting peace, 
prosperity and democracy, regionally as well as globally. 
 
Our relations are endowed with all the important dimensions 
of strategic cooperation.  Turkey and the US share a common 
vision on a wide variety of issues and, thus, they are 
well-poised to positively contribute to each others, 
policies.  I would like to reiterate that the 
Turkish-American strategic cooperation will continue in a 
stronger pace in the period ahead. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
/s/ 
 
Abdullah Gl, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign 
Affairs 
 
End text. 
MCELDOWNEY