US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4487

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004487 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KPAL, JO, IS, TU 
SUBJECT: ISRAELI PRESIDENT KATZAV'S VISIT TO TURKEY "A 
GREAT SUCCESS" -- AMIDST CONCERNS ABOUT IRAN AND ARAFAT 
 
(U) Classified by Acting Political Counselor Nicholas S. 
Kass.  Reason: 1.5 (b)(d). 
 
 
1.  (C) Ankara Israeli Embassy contacts are pleased with 
President Katzav's July 8-9 visit to Ankara and Istanbul. 
Israeli DCM Emmanuel Nahshon said "The visit was a great 
success," and further commented, "The mere fact the visit 
occurred was a success in itself.  The Turks did everything 
they could for the visit."  He thought bilateral relations 
between the two countries were "extremely satisfactory." 
Nahshon stated the Turkish President initiated the invitation 
for the visit and recalled the last time such a high level 
visit occurred was in mid-April 99 under President Demirel. 
2.  (C) The highlight of the visit was a state dinner in 
Katzav's honor hosted by President Sezer and attended by PM 
Erdogan and FonMin Gul.  The dinner entertainment featured 
music by the Turkish State Orchestra, which was accompanied 
by an Istanbul choral group singing traditional Jewish songs 
in Ladino. 
 
 
3.  (C)  President Katzav was accompanied by 100 Israeli 
business men who attended meetings in Ankara and Istanbul. 
Trade between Israel and Turkey in 2002 was $1.2 billion and 
Nahshon expects it to reach $2 billion in three or four 
years. 
 
 
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Iran Not A Problem 
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4.  (C)  Erdogan advised our interlocutors that he did not 
think Iran posed a threat to the region.  He further told our 
interlocutor that Iran was not the only nuclear power in the 
region, implying that Israel was the other. 
 
 
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Avoiding Arafat 
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5.  (C)  Concrete dates were not discussed for either PM 
Erdogan or FonMin Gul's visits to Israel, but it was decided 
in principle that an exchange would take place "in the fall." 
 Our sources confirmed the primary problem for any Erdogan 
visit would be to avoid a meeting with Palestinian Chairman 
Arafat.  During Katzav's visit, Israeli sources reiterated to 
Erdogan that he could not see Prime Minister Sharon if he met 
with Arafat.  Our interlocutors are optimistic there are ways 
to avoid an "accidental" meeting with Arafat.  Sources 
suggested possible solutions to circumvent an Erdogan-Arafat 
visit would be to:   (1) Invite Prime Minister Abbas (Abu 
Mazen) to Turkey for a direct meeting with Erdogan just 
before Erdogan visits Israel, eliminating the need for 
Erdogan to see Abu Mazen again so soon in the Palestinian 
Territories; (2) Holding trilateral regional talks in Aqaba 
hosted by Jordan or (3) Scheduling bilateral Turkish-Israel 
meetings in Eilat. 
PEARSON