US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8956

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 008956 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINS, TU, CY 
SUBJECT: TURKEY: OPPOSITION CHP CAUTIOUSLY HARDLINE ON 
CYPRUS 
 
 
(U) Classified by acting Political Counselor Nicholas S. 
Kass; reasons: 1.5 (b,d) 
 
 
1. (C) Establishment standard-bearer Republican People's 
Party (CHP) has hardened its Cyprus rhetoric during the EU 
summit in Copenhagen.  CHP leader Baykal Dec. 11 publicly 
endorsed President Sezer's "protest" decision not to go to 
Copenhagen, claiming the EU wanted to extract concessions 
from Turkey on Cyprus and to present Ankara with a "fait 
accompli" (echoing MFA talking points verbatim). 
 
 
2. (C) Our contacts throughout the party are echoing Baykal's 
skepticism.  On the one hand, they recognize that the Cyprus 
issue needs to be solved now, given imminent Greek Cypriot 
accession into the EU.  On the other hand, they have not as 
yet shown that they are willing 
to base any solution on current UN plans. 
 
 
-- Head of CHP's women's auxiliary group and M.P. Guldal 
Okutucu Dec. 12 told poloffs forcefully that CHP "cannot 
accept the revised plan" submitted by UNSYG Annan. 
 
 
-- CHP deputy Yilmaz Ates explained to us that CHP will not 
agree to the Annan plan.  CHP fears that it invites eventual 
Greek domination of the island.  Ates then lambasted the 
ruling AK (Justice and Development) Party for its willingness 
earlier to push for a solution in the run-up to the summit. 
However, according to Ates, after CHP leaders and MFA 
officials had "educated" AK and the Government of PM Abdullah 
Gul, "now they understand." 
 
 
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Comment 
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3. (C) Cyprus is a neuralgic issue for Turks, particularly 
for those who support the political-bureaucratic 
Establishment's point of view.  CHP is positioning itself as 
pro-EU in principle.  It is also trying to burnish its 
Establishment credentials, and position itself for any 
perceived slip by AK, by harping on the dangers of accepting 
the Cyprus plan. 
DEUTSCH