US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5002

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005002 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT PASS USTR FOR ERRION 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ETRD, TU, SY 
SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA READOUT OF SYRIAN P.M. MIRO'S VISIT TO 
ANKARA 
 
 
(U) Classified by A/DCM Scot Marciel. Reason: 1.5 (b)(d). 
 
 
 1. (C) In a readout of Syrian P.M. Miro's July 29-30 visit 
to Ankara, MFA Acting Head of Department for the Middle East 
Kemal Tuzun told us Miro's visit was significant as the first 
visit of a Syrian P.M. in 17 years.  As a result of the 
visit, Tuzun said, Turkey has invited Syrian President Assad 
to visit Ankara in the "near future -- perhaps by the end of 
the year."  The Syrians have not yet responded to the Turkish 
invitation. 
 
 
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Economic Agreements 
------------------- 
 
 
2. (C) Tuzun claimed discussions focused on further 
developing bilateral economic ties, since Miro's portfolio is 
primarily an economic one.  Miro's delegation, which included 
several Syrian cabinet ministers, signed agreements with the 
Turks on four economic and trade-related issues: 1) the 
formation of a Joint Economic Council; 2) health services; 3) 
greater customs/border cooperation; and 4) mining, petroleum 
and other energy related projects.  The two sides agreed to 
work on technical agreements regarding double taxation and 
encouraging investment, which suffered as a result of 
bilateral tensions during the 1990s, when Syria actively 
supported the PKK.  State Minister for Trade Kursad Tuzmen 
told the press that Turkey was interested in pursuing a free 
trade agreement with Syria, but Foreign Trade officials 
acknowledged privately that Turkey's Customs Union agreement 
with the EU would make an FTA difficult if not impossible. 
(Note: The officials said bilateral trade totaled only $762 
million in 2002. End note) 
 
 
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Middle East Peace and Iraq 
-------------------------- 
 
 
3. (C) On Middle East peace and Iraq, Miro offered "nothing 
new," according to Tuzun.  Miro used the "standard Syrian 
talking points," saying Syria will not be an obstacle to the 
Road Map and claiming that "peace is now a strategic 
objective" for the Syrian government.  Tuzun asserted that 
the Turks encouraged the Syrians to participate more actively 
in building peace and urged that Syria should use its 
influence to push Lebanon to do more to promote peace. 
 
 
4. (C) Offering a different take on Miro's approach, MFA DG 
for the Middle East Burcuoglu claimed to Charge that Syria's 
position on Israel-Palestine issue has "radicalized" of late, 
e.g., the Syrians' statement that that Jerusalem should be 
the capital of a Palestinian state and Syria's support for 
the right of return for all Palestinian refugees. 
5. (C) While Burcuoglu indicated to Charge that the Syrians 
could be a stumbling block to Arab League efforts to work 
with the Iraqi Governing Council, Tuzun described Miro's 
statements on Iraq as the "typical Syrian approach."  Miro 
merely underscored what Syria has said before, Tuzun 
explained, namely that: a) Iraq must determine its own 
future; b) the entire region should work toward peace in 
Iraq; c) foreign militaries must leave Iraq at the earliest 
opportunity; and d) Turkey can play an important role. 
DEUTSCH