US embassy cable - 02ANKARA9040

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 009040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINS, TU 
SUBJECT: AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE MEETS WITH TURKISH 
LEADERS, INCLUDING PRESIDENT SEZER 
 
Classified by Ambassador W.R. Pearson; reasons: 1.5 (b)(d). 
 
 
1. (C) Summary:  In Dec. 13 meetings with President Sezer, 
MFA Deputy U/S 
for the Middle East Tuygan, and representatives of ruling AK 
Party and main 
opposition CHP,  American Jewish Committee (AJC) leaders 
affirmed AJC's support 
for Turkey.  End summary. 
 
 
2.  (C) Dec. 13 AJC President Tanner, Director of Government 
Affairs Isaacson and 
Strategic Studies Director (retired FSO) Jacobs visited 
high-level GOT and 
party officials to reaffirm AJC's continued lobbying support 
for Turkey. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meeting with President Sezer 
 
 
 
 
3. (C) DCM accompanied Tanner, Isaacson and Jacobs to their 
meeting with Sezer, who, 
noted his appreciation for the AJC's work on behalf of 
Turkey.  Tanner reassured 
Sezer of Turkey's importance for the U.S. Jewish community, 
as well as AJC's 
support of Turkey's application to the EU. 
 
 
4. (C) Commenting that Turkey's relations with the U.S. are 
improving, Sezer 
focused on the particularly close bilateral political and 
military relations and 
looked forward to closer commercial relations.  In this 
regard, he noted the 
mutual U.S., Israeli and Turkish efforts to establish 
qualifying industrial zones (QIZs) 
in Turkey.  Affirming the cooperation among the U.S., Israel 
and Turkey, he 
commented that both Turkey and Israel live in a region where 
terrorism occurs 
and violence escalates daily.  Since the escalation of 
violence is not to 
the advantage of Israelis or Palestinians, Sezer stated 
Turkey is ready to help 
initiate a new round in the MEPP and to host an international 
meeting of both 
sides regarding these issues. 
 
 
5. (C) In response, Tanner appraised a number of Turkey's 
strengths:  (1) its 
location -- on the one hand, it can negotiate to join the EU 
and on the other 
hand it is part of the Middle East; (2) it is a large 
democratic country that 
is a bridge between east and west; (3) its geography 
facilitates a unique role. 
Tanner said the people of Israel thirst and hunger for peace. 
 He asked that 
both he and Sezer pray in their separate ways so that people 
in Turkey and 
Israel can settle on a two-state solution and people can be 
recognized by 
their neighbors in peace.  In response to Sezer's questions 
about regional 
instability, a U.S. operation against Iraq, expansion of 
tensions, and expansion of 
Israeli settlements, Tanner replied he is always concerned 
about war, but that 
the potential operation against Iraq is not an Israeli war. 
The Israelis are 
in great jeopardy and more exposed than anyone else, but as 
an organization, 
the AJC has no position on war.  Even if the Jewish community 
or Israel felt 
the United States should wait until some other event 
occurred, war is 
not an issue the AJC could influence.  Sezer concurred that 
Turkey faces similar 
problems from terrorist activities and efforts for peace will 
take longer to be 
achieved. 
 
 
 
 
Meeting with Ambassador Ali Tuygan 
 
 
 
 
6. (C) In his meeting with the delegation, Deputy U/S for 
Bilateral Political 
Affairs with the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific 
Ali Tuygan (has served as 
Turkish ambassador to Riyadh) commented that the Qataris have 
indicated they 
would like to conduct a "dialogue of civilizations." 
Exploring the idea of 
mutual understanding in response to a question from Isaacson 
about how to avoid 
expressions that are offensive in the Arab world, Tuygan 
responded it is necessary 
to insert Turkey in the dialogue.  Tanner said that since 
September 11, he 
has noted that education in the Arab world is geared toward 
hatred of Israel, 
the Jews, U.S. and Christians.  Tuygan concurred, saying 
Turkey faces similar 
problems with its neighbors promoting anti-Turkish 
sentiments, but Turkey is 
making an effort to change this, although necessarily slowly 
and patiently. 
7. (C) Jacobs declared that Saudi Arabia is seen as a source 
of terrorism 
financing, particularly in promoting a hatred of Jews. 
Tuygan noted this is 
known to everyone and that Turkey faced a similar situation 
in the Balkans. 
Responding to Jacobs' discussion of schools as a breeding 
ground for terrorism, 
Tuygan replied that the desire for change in Turkey's 
neighbors is genuine. 
For example, in Iran, women are gradually pulling their 
scarves back from their 
faces and showing small, but incrementally significant 
portions of their 
hairline. In response to Isaacson's question about how the 
friends of democracy 
can speed change, Tuygan pointed to economic cooperation and 
the willingness to 
face a certain amount of uneasiness.  Discussing other 
relationships in 
the region, Tuygan declared: 
 
 
--Iran and Iraq have a chance to finish each other off. 
--Turkey's relationship with Syria changed after the 
rendition of former 
PKK leader Ocalan; cooperation is on the rise.  Bashar Assad 
was brought in by 
the old guard of advisors. 
--Egyptians are quiet about their relations with Turkey; Amr 
Moussa is 
trying to be moderate. 
 
 
8. (C) Queried about initiatives for future peace 
conferences, Tuygan 
suggested working through football, soccer or basketball 
sports clubs, 
emphasizing that governments and NGOs must also make efforts. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Meeting with AKP Vice Chairman Murat Mercan 
 
 
 
 
9. (C) AK vice chairman for media and information Murat 
Mercan opined 
that EU membership is being withheld from Turkey perhaps 
on (1) cultural grounds, (2) religious grounds or (3) 
possibly the EU 
leadership's failure to prepare the populace and its system 
for Turkish 
accession.  Mercan declared that Turkey is better developed 
and better prepared than 
other aspiring EU candidates in eastern Europe.  He also 
observed that 
he does not have as close relations with the Israeli Embassy 
in Ankara 
as with the German, French and U.S. embassies. 
 
 
10. (C) Tanner emphasized the uniqueness of both 
Israel and Turkey in being the only democracies in the 
region.  Mercan and 
Tanner both agreed on the need to fight terrorism to protect 
the world for 
their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 
 
 
 
 
Meeting with CHP Chairman Deniz Baykal 
 
 
 
 
11. (C) Baykal described his party's current mandate as 
"containing the 
situation and preventing any move to rewrite the constitution 
of 
Turkey.  Asked about Cyprus, clearly a sensitive issue for 
him, Baykal averred 
that the situation is difficult and does not reflect the 
aspirations of the Turkish 
community.  However, Baykal said he supports negotiations for 
a peaceful solution. 
He recommended that a third party should intervene to achieve 
a solution in Cyprus; 
the UNSYG is best positioned to do this.  Baykal 
concluded by speculating that relations between the U.S. and 
Turkey could deteriorate if Turkey is not admitted to the EU. 
 
 
12. (C) Tanner, who had met with AKP Chairman Erdogan in 
Washington, described him as "practical and straightforward." 
 In response, 
Baykal asserted that AKP would need to establish itself in 
Turkish politics to 
determine the proper direction of the society's wishes.  CHP 
will monitor 
AKP's program to be sure AK stays on track and does not 
try to "initiate unacceptable practices."  CHP will create 
momentum to prevent 
radical changes.  At the end of the meeting, Baykal expressed 
appreciation for 
U.S. assistance to Turkish reconstruction after World War II. 
 Tanner said 
that Truman Doctrine assistance to Turkey had its roots in 
Henry Morgenthau's 
father's tenure as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey in 1913. 
 
 
PEARSON 
PEARSON