US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4423

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004423 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY: UNCONTRITE SEZER TELLS AMBASSADOR IRAQ 
INCIDENT WAS "UNACCEPTABLE." 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador W.R. Pearson.  Reason:1.5(b)(d) 
 
 
 
 
1. (C) Ambassador paid a farewell visit July 14 on President 
Sezer, who while maintaining his usually low-key and 
disinterested demeanor reiterated several times his public 
charge that the July 4 arrest (and subsequent release) of 
Turkish Special Forces (TSF) troops in Iraq was 
"unacceptable" under any circumstances.  Sezer shook his head 
"no" vigorously on several different occasions, while 
Ambassador was relating that U.S. forces had strong reasons 
for their actions.  Sezer noted the mil/mil commission was 
continuing its work; he expressed hope that its conclusions 
would provide a clearer understanding and basis for 
U.S.-Turkey relations in the future. 
 
 
2. (C) Ambassador replied that there are two distinct issues 
involved in the matter: 1) how TSF were treated; and 2) the 
more fundamental issue, which is the fact that the U.S. 
forces had solid reasons to be concerned about violent 
activities planned by the TSF inimical to stability in Iraq. 
It is thus the purpose of the joint Fact-Finding Team to 
examine both issues.  The USG understands the emotions on the 
Turkish side; it is important, however, to lower the 
temperature of deliberations and to ensure the development of 
coordination procedures that will prevent such things from 
happening again.  Ambassador noted that relations between the 
U.S. and Turkish militaries -- which for fifty years had been 
a pillar of the wider U.S.-Turkey relationship -- are 
strained; both sides should do the utmost to improve the 
atmosphere.  Gens. Abizaid and Jones are coming to Turkey 
July 18, F.M. Gul is planning a visit to the U.S. thereafter; 
such visits are very important to helping put the bilateral 
relationship back on track.  Ambassador reiterated that, 
frankly, Turkey needed to understand that the U.S. units 
involved had reason to act, even if the way the action 
unfolded on the ground raised questions in Turkey about its 
propriety.  Ambassador elaborated that the USG is working to 
demonstrate that Turkey and the U.S. share the same broad 
perspective on Iraq, which given turkey's geographical 
advantages would go a long way to encouraging and promoting 
Turkish business and other interests. 
 
 
3. (C) Sezer reiterated that the incident was unacceptable, 
then volunteered the following as context: U.S.-Turkey 
relations were fine, he said, until the March 1 failure in 
Parliament of the Government's resolution that would have 
allowed U.S. troop deployments to and through Turkey.  "The 
United States said that its main reasons for going to war in 
Iraq were the WMD threat and the need to democratize the 
country.  I don't know if you have any WMD data yet, but as 
for democratization: the Turkish constitution gives the 
Parliament the authority to make such decisions.  So, while 
the U.S. campaigns for democracy in Iraq you should not 
complain about democracy in another country."  The AK 
Government may have wanted the resolution to pass, Sezer 
said, but the decision was up to the legislature. 
 
 
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COMMENT 
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4. (C) Sezer is politically tone deaf.  He adhered to the 
Turkish hard-liners' view regarding the July 4 incident; he 
also showed a lack of interest in seeking ground that would 
allow both Turkey and the U.S. to put the issue in context 
and bilateral relations back on track. 
PEARSON