US embassy cable - 03ANKARA3397

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR E, P, EB/IFD AND EUR/SE 
TREASURY FOR OASIA - MILLS AND LEICHTER 
NSC FOR QUANRUD AND BRYZA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2008 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: UNION OF CHAMBERS PRESIDENT BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON 
INITIATIVES TO BOLSTER U.S.-TURKEY TIES 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson.  Reasons: 
1.5(b,d). 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Influential Union of Chambers of Commerce (TOBB) 
President Rifat Hisarciklioglu told the Ambassador May 22 
that he had returned from a three-day visit to Washington 
with agreement on several specific initiatives to bolster the 
bilateral relationship.  They include: 
 
 
- establishing a working group to promote bilateral trade; 
- sponsoring a June 2003 meeting on attracting more foreign 
direct investment from the United States; 
- setting up, in cooperation with the Brookings Institution, 
a think-tank in Turkey to study the trans-Aatlantic relations 
and Turkey's EU accession; and 
- putting together a contact group with CSIS to talk about 
how to redefine the strategic relationship. 
 
 
2.  (SBU)   Hisarciklioglu said he had also stressed in 
Washington that Turkey could and should play a helpful role 
in building a stable and prosperous Iraq and in advancing the 
Middle East Peace Process. He reported that, following FM 
Gul's visit to Israel and the Israeli President's expected 
visit to Turkey, Prime Minister Erdogan would visit Israel, 
probably in August-September.  (Note:  We have not heard 
officially about an Erdogan visit, but will follow up with 
the Foreign Ministry.  End note). 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Ambassador expressed appreciation for TOBB's 
specific ideas, stressing that Turkey needed to take concrete 
steps -- not just offer rhetoric -- to rebuild bilateral 
relations.  He offered to work with TOBB on the various 
initiatives, and stressed that he hoped to see specific ideas 
on enhancing trade and U.S. investment in Turkey. 
 
 
4.  (C) On Iraq, Ambassador noted that the large flows of 
humanitarian goods already underway indicated that the 
Turkey-Iraq trade route was a natural.  He suggested that a 
scenario in which the U.S. and Turkey saw eye-to-eye on the 
development of a new Iraq would prove enormously beneficial 
to both the Turkish and the Iraqi economies.  On the other 
hand, should there be disagreements, the resulting political 
tension would have a negative impact on both economies. 
Recalling several recent unhelpful statements by members of 
Turkey's establishment, he volunteered that -- at this point 
-- Americans do not really know where Turkey stands on Iraq. 
 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  A steady stream of Turks have been knocking 
on the Ambassador's door asking (a) how bad the damage to the 
relationship is, and (b) what Turkey needs to do to repair 
that damage.  Ambassador's consistent message has been that, 
while the U.S. still considers Turkey to be a friend, 
Turkey's failure to support us on an issue of overwhelming 
national interest cannot be ignored.  For the relationship to 
regain its strength, Turkey (the whole country, not just the 
government) needs to stop sniping at us and take positive, 
specific steps on Iraq, Cyprus, and the Middle East Peace 
Process. 
PEARSON