This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
"H" PLEASE PASS TO CONGRESSMAN HASTINGS' OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2014 
TAGS: PREL OREP PHUM PINR PINS PROP PTER AMGT TU IZ
SUBJECT: CODEL HASTINGS MEETS IN TURKEY IN FIRST OFFICIAL 
VISIT AS OSCEPA PRESIDENT 
 
REF: A. STATE 204727 
     ¶B. STATE 205571 
     ¶C. ANKARA 5467 
 
Classified By: . 
 
Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch under E.O. 12958, reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
(C) 1. Summary. Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla), in his 
first official visit as president of the OSCEPA, conducted a 
visit October 2-4, 2004, to Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey. 
Hastings met with Prime Minister Erdogan, Foreign Minister 
Gul, Minister of National Defense Gonul, Parliament Speaker 
Arinc, Deputy Parliament Speaker Alptekin, TGNA Foreign 
Affairs Committee Chairman Dulger and the TGNA delegation to 
the OSCEPA. Hastings proposed reforming and strengthening the 
OSCE while Turkish interlocutors used the meetings as an 
opportunity to 1) highlight Turkey's positive efforts to 
achieve EU membership; 2) solicit U.S. support for Turkey's 
position regarding regional terrorism issues; and 3) expand 
opportunities for the OIC in global fora.  End summary. 
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Hastings' Message 
----------------- 
(U) 2.  Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla), as the current 
president of the Organization for Security and Cooperation 
Parliamentary Assembly OSCEPA) used his meetings to propose 
internal reforms to strengthen the OSCE.  Hastings said that 
among reform proposals, the most important is &strengthening 
the secretary general.8 
---------------------- 
Prime Minister Erdogan 
---------------------- 
(U) 3. Turkish PM Erdogan expressed support for Hastings' 
proposals and enhanced international dialogue among regional 
parliamentary groups.  Erdogan claimed: 
 -- particularly in respect to Iraq, international 
cooperation is the tool for promoting and protecting peace 
and security; 
 -- propaganda was the ultimate goal of terrorism, and that 
terrorists in Iraq have achieved that goal; 
 -- on EU accession, Turkey has reached a final point with 
the EU; 
 -- his ruling AK party held human rights as a priority. 
------------ 
FM Gul 
------------ 
(U) 4. FonMin Gul 1) asserted that the OSCE can serve as a 
platform to advance inter-parliamentary relations with 
&partners8 NATO, the EU, and the UN; (2) suggested that the 
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Black Sea 
Economic Cooperative (BSEC) should also be included in 
international dialogues; and 3) agreed with the need for 
fundamental reforms to the OSCE parliamentary process. 
 
(U) 5. Gul noted that U.S.-Turkey relations are 
&far-reaching and tested,8 based on more than just military 
cooperation.  Gul pleaded with Hastings to &Please defend us 
in Congress; we understand it,s a pluralistic country, but 
we need your help.8  Regarding Turkey,s position on Darfur, 
he said, &It,s not only your problem, it,s our problem, 
too." 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
MEETING WITH MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE GONUL 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
(C) 6. Minister of National Defense Vecdi Gonul discussed the 
importance of our bilateral relations, Turkey,s military 
procurement practices, the role of Turkey,s military in 
protecting the country,s borders and the structure of 
Turkish intelligence services.  Gonul emphasized that EU 
membership would not result in Turkey,s neglect of its NATO 
membership.  Gonul viewed casualty figures in terrorist 
attacks as evidence that, in part as a result of Turkish 
intelligence-gathering techniques, the terrorist 
organizations were unable to get the greater populace on 
their side.  An aide to Gonul noted that the current 
situation in Iraq concerned Turkey and he expressed Turkey,s 
gratitude at U.S. placement of the PKK on its list of 
terrorist organizations. 
------------------------ 
Parliament Speaker Arinc 
------------------------ 
(U) 7. Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Speaker Bulent 
Arinc said Turkey wanted to improve its relationship with the 
U.S. while also joining the EU, and reviewed Parliament's 
accomplishments in passing EU-related reform measures. 
Hastings encouraged Arinc to have Parliament address 
terrorism financing issues and offered to provide a summary 
of U.S. terrorism finance legislation. 
---------------------------------- 
Acting Parliament Speaker Alptekin 
---------------------------------- 
(U) 8. Hastings also met with Deputy TGNA Speaker Ismail 
Alptekin, and, as with Arinc, again urged Turkey to send 
monitors to the U.S. presidential elections. 
------------------------------ 
TGNA Foreign Affairs Committee 
------------------------------ 
(U) 9. TGNA Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mehmet Dulger 
reiterated Gul's comments, noting that 1) enhanced dialogue 
between OSCE and other regional parliamentary groups is 
essential and 2) structural reform within the OSCE is 
absolutely necessary.  Dulger said that Turkey's 
long-suffering battle against terrorism (PKK) qualifies the 
GOT as &a good resource for advice against terror.8  He 
advised that once the U.S. takes action against the PKK, 
&you will find a Turkey that will be willing to help the 
U.S. on all fronts.8 
--------------------------------------------- - 
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Turkish Delegation 
--------------------------------------------- - 
(U) 10. Congressman Hastings met with members of the TGNA 
delegation to the OSCEPA, including both ruling AK Party and 
opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) MPs.  Host(and AK 
MP and OSCEPA Vice-President) Nevzat Yalcintas asserted the 
compatibility of Islam and democracy.  CHP MP Gaye Erbatur 
emphasized the secular nature of the Turkish state, the need 
to develop better relations with the EU, and the need to 
expand the OSCE's role in the region.  AK MP Alaattin 
Buyukkaya urged Hastings to find ways to widen other nations' 
OSCE participation and contributions. 
 
(C) 11. Comment:  Each meeting appeared to be stage-managed 
by the GOT to deliver a consistent AK Party message regarding 
Turkey's campaign to join the EU, strong U.S.-Turkish 
bilateral relations and the fight against terrorism.  Higher 
level GOT representatives seemed to interpret OSCE "reform' 
as an invitation to include the OIC and the BSEC, 
organizations where Turkey believes it has influence, in EU 
organization meetings as well. 
 
(U) 12.  Congressman Hastings did not have an opportunity to 
clear this message. 
EDELMAN