VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1005/01 1171609
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 271609Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1886
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA PRIORITY 6659
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 5650

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ACTING U/S ROOD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2017 
TAGS: PREL PTER KNNP KGIC PARM TU CY
SUBJECT: TURKEY HOLDS FIRM AGAINST CYPRUS IN THE GLOBAL 
INITIATIVE 
 
REF: A. STATE 50656 
     ¶B. ANKARA 954 
     ¶C. ROOD-WILSON TELCON 
     ¶D. WALDEN-SIEBENTRITT/RICH E-MAIL 
     ¶E. ANKARA 860 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reason 1.4 (b/d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  MFA Deputy U/S Rafet Akgunay told the 
Ambassador on April 27 that Turkey is re-evaluating its 
participation in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear 
Terrorism (GI) now that Cyprus is joining.  While the issue 
is still under discussion at the highest levels of the MFA, 
Akgunay said it was clear Turkey will not be able to 
participate in the GI at the level expected by the U.S. 
Ambassador emphasized that the U.S. has consulted with the 
Russian co-chairs and that misuse of the forum by the GOC 
will not be permitted or tolerated.  Akgunay called for 
"creative thinking" and suggested that U.S. support to 
Turkey's efforts to play a greater role in European Security 
and Defense Policy (ESDP) (ref e) might help Turkey work 
through its objections to Cyprus' GI membership.  MFA DDG 
Ahmet Gun told us separately that Turkey may decide not to 
send a delegate to the June GI meeting in Astana and to 
cancel the 2008 intelligence sharing meeting it has proposed 
for the GI workplan.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Akgunay reiterated Turkey's position against Cyprus' 
joining the GI in strong terms, highlighting language in the 
February 12 Co-Chairs' Statement in Ankara against "importing 
political problems into the process."  Turkey, he said, had 
been very clear in its concerns about Cyprus even before the 
first meeting of the GI in Morocco in October 2006, and had 
discussed the issue with both co-chairs in Ankara in 
February, he claimed. 
 
¶3. (C) The MFA is not ready to see Cyprus on the list of GI 
member states and will therefore reconsider Turkey's full 
participation in the Initiative.  While the issue is still 
under discussion at the highest levels of the MFA, the GOT is 
taking it very seriously, Akgunay said.  It is clear that 
Turkey will not be able to participate in the GI at the level 
expected by the U.S. in the future. 
 
¶4. (C) Drawing from points provided ref d, Ambassador told 
Akgunay that the U.S. understood the political sensitivities 
of this decision, but stressed the value to the GI of 
Turkey's leadership, particularly its successful hosting of 
the second meeting in Ankara, and the importance to the GI of 
Turkey's strategic location.  The issue of nuclear terrorism 
is serious and U.S. wishes to see the maximum number of 
participants in the GI.  Ambassador pointed to Turkey and 
Cyprus participation in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, 
Australia Group, and a number of other major international 
non-proliferation conventions.  He reconfirmed that Cyprus 
had presented its commitment to the GI Statement of 
Principles to the U.S. and expressed the U.S. desire for 
Turkey's continued full participation. 
 
¶5. (C) Ambassador emphasized the U.S. view that the GI not be 
abused for political purposes by the GOC or any other 
country.  He informed Akgunay that the U.S. has consulted 
with the Russian co-chairs and that misuse of the forum will 
not be permitted or tolerated. 
 
¶6. (C) Akgunay discounted the assurance, noting that he had 
begun his career exactly 30 years earlier as a Cyprus Desk 
Officer and that similar assurances had not been upheld over 
the years.  He said that some "creative thinking" might help 
the situation, and hinted that U.S. support to Turkey's 
efforts to be included in ESDP decisionmaking could be 
helpful in encouraging some GOT flexibility on GI. 
 
¶7. (C) MFA Arms Control DDG Ahmet Muhtar Gun told us 
separately that he was "deeply disappointed" at Cyprus' 
joining the GI and warned of serious consequences.  While 
confirming that the MFA is still evaluating its future 
participation in the GI, he warned that Turkey may decide not 
to participate in the June GI meeting in Astana and may 
cancel the intelligence sharing event the GOT had offered to 
host in 2008 as part of the GI workplan.  At the same time, 
Gun reiterated Turkey's commitment to fulfill its 
international responsibilities to combat terrorism and 
nuclear non-proliferation 
 
¶8. (C) Comment:  Turkey considers itself a founding member of 
the GI and feels almost betrayed by the decision to invite 
Cyprus to join the Initiative, or at the very least, without 
what it feels was adequate consultation.  Turkish struggles 
 
with Cyprus in other fora, including the EU, are clearly a 
factor.  We should accept Akgunay's invitation to think 
creativity about ways to encourage Turkey to maintain its 
momentum. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON