US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6547

UNCLAS ANKARA 006547 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY AND ITS NEIGHBORS:  NOVEMBER 1 FM GUL PRESS 
CONFERENCE 
 
 
1.  Summary.  In a wide-ranging November 1 press conference, 
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul acknowledged a "new 
phase" in U.S. - Turkish cooperation against (PKK) terrorism 
and addressed developments with a number of Turkey's 
problematic neighbors.  His remarks on Iran in the wake of 
Iranian President Ahmedinejad's troubling statement are 
covered septel.  End Summary. 
 
2.  Turkey - U.S.  Gul noted that Turkey and the U.S. had a 
special and comprehensive relationship and referred to 
high-level U.S. visitors to Turkey in the preceding months. 
He stressed there was "sound" cooperation between Turkey and 
the U.S. in the fight against terrorism, adding that talks 
were underway on this matter.  While acknowledging that the 
results of counter-terrorism cooperation would not be 
immediately evident, he said "I can tell you we have entered 
a new phase." 
 
3.  Barzani Visit.  Gul appeared to downplay Iraqi Kurdistan 
Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani's official 
visit to the U.S., stressing Barzani visited as the president 
of a region of Iraq, as understood in the Iraqi constitution. 
 Gul underlined the need to maintain Iraq's territorial 
integrity and warned that, while PKK terrorists were harming 
Turkey today, they could just as easily harm Kurdish leaders 
in northern Iraq tomorrow. 
 
4.  Iraq.  Again on Iraq, Gul predicted the December 
elections would be a milestone and expressed his hope that 
the passage of the constitution will strengthen Iraq's 
"integrity and unity."  He reiterated Turkey's position that 
the new assembly would have to modify the constitution to 
remove its imperfections. 
 
5.  Syria.  Turning to developments in Syria, Gul was more 
circumspect, noting that Syria was in a sensitive period and 
that Turkey was watching developments there closely in the 
wake of the Mehlis report. 
 
6.  Caucasus.  Addressing the south Caucasus, Gul said that 
"transparent elections will make Azerbaijan stronger in 
international fora."  He welcomed the upcoming visit of the 
Georgian Prime Minister to Turkey and noted that oil from the 
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline would soon reach Ceyhan.  Gul 
dismissed the European Parliament's resolution acknowledging 
the Armenian "genocide," noting it had no force in law. 
 
7.  Terrorism.  Gul was critical of Belgium for failing to 
prosecute Fehriye Erdal, accused of terrorist crimes in 
Turkey, but said he did not believe the Belgian court 
decision not to prosecute Erdal was a political one directed 
against Turkey.  He hoped the Belgian government would find 
"a way out" in this matter, noting the problem was in 
Brussels, not Ankara. He also noted PM Erdogan would make a 
one-day visit to Germany in the coming days. 
 
8.  Cyprus.  Gul highlighted the importance of TRNC 
"President" Talat's visit to the U.S. and noted the Turkish 
proposal to lift all restrictions regarding Cyprus at the 
same time.  "No settlement can be reached by unilateral 
efforts only," he concluded. 
 
9.  EU Accession.  Gul said the EU's progress report on 
Turkey and the Accession Partnership Accord is expected on 
November 9.  He emphasized that issues such as mother tongue 
(read Kurdish language) education and having the Turkish 
General Staff report to the Ministry of National Defense are 
not mentioned in the draft texts.  Noting that the screening 
process is underway, Gul said that negotiations could be 
opened on chapters after they are screened.  On EU demands to 
open Turkish ports to Greek Cypriot vessels by 2006, Gul said 
Turkey's views were known to all.  He dismissed as "pure 
rhetoric" Greece's reported statement that Turkey could not 
become an EU member unless it withdraws its troops from 
Cyprus, noting the overall settlement issue remains on the UN 
agenda.  He reaffirmed Turkish support for the TRNC in the 
face of Greek Cypriot intransigence over the Annan Plan. 
 
MCELDOWNEY