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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISTANBUL 000872 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL BUSINESS TO U/S BURNS: NOW IS THE TIME 
FOR CHANGE 
 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified; Please Protect Accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In a broad-ranging dinner conversation 
with two recently-elected AKP members of parliament and four 
senior business leaders Undersecretary Burns discussed 
constitutional reform, prospects for resolving conflict with 
Armenia, the treatment of minorities in Turkey, Turkish press 
and public opinion of the United States as well as Northern 
Iraq and the PKK.  On the eve of his September 19 visit to 
Ankara, U/S Burns explained that his trip was a demonstration 
of the strength of the U.S.-Turkish relationship and of the 
United States' commitment to work with Turkey to resolve 
issues of mutual concern in the Middle East and surrounding 
regions.  The group agreed the new Justice and Development 
Party (AKP)-controlled government was positioned to move 
forward on these and other difficult issues.  End summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On September 18 the consul general hosted an iftar 
dinner in honor of visiting Undersecretary for Political 
Affairs Nicholas Burns.  Turkish guests included Nursuna 
Memecan, a recently elected AKP member of parliament, who 
returned to Turkey from the United States to stand for office 
in the July elections and Canan Kalsin, a recently elected 
AKP member of parliament with a background in the automotive 
and construction business.  Arzuhan Yalcindag, head of the 
Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association 
(TUSIAD), social activist and prominent Jewish industrialist 
Ishak Alaton, Murat Yalcintas, chairman of the Istanbul 
Chamber of Commerce, and BP General Manager and Chairman of 
the Foreign Investors Association (YASED) Tahir Uysal 
represented diverse views in the Istanbul business community. 
 
U.S. View 
--------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) U/S Burns described Turkey as our most important 
ally in the Middle East.  Turkey is uniquely influential in 
the region which will be the most important focus for the 
United States throughout the 21st century.  He argued that it 
is time to put the problems that plagued U.S-Turkish 
relations from 2002 through 2005 behind us and focus on a 
future where we work together on the important issues facing 
both of our countries in the Middle East and neighboring 
regions.  Secretary Rice will visit Turkey in late October 
for the Iraq Neighbors meeting.  We hope that PM Erdogan and 
President Gul will be able to visit the United States soon 
for high-level meetings.  Turkey faces a series of important 
challenges - constitutional reform, how to deal with Section 
301 of the penal code, as well as the Armenia issue. 
 
Civil Rights, Free Speech and Minorities 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Burns reviewed his Istanbul meetings - Robert 
College, TESEV, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Sulemaniye 
Mosque - highlighting the importance the United States places 
upon the Ecumenical Patriarch as a man of peace and an 
advocate for dialog.  In his Ankara meetings he will 
encourage the Turkish government (GOT) to support the 
Ecumenical Patriarch and re-open the Halki Seminary after 36 
years.  Alaton noted that the Ecumenical Patriarch suffers a 
problem felt by all minorities, they are "less equal" than 
others.  President Sezer refused to sign the draft Foundation 
Law because it gave "too many rights" to minority 
foundations, he explained.  Yalcindag noted that she and 
TUSIAD board member Guler Sabanci had met earlier in the day 
with President Gul to press the government to amend Article 
301 and approve a new Foundation Law before beginning the 
constitutional reform process, which is sure to require 
lengthy debate.   In particular amending 301 is an important 
symbol for the EU, she argued.  Memecan agreed Article 301 
should be amended, but argued it should be changed not as a 
gesture to the EU but because "it is the right thing to do." 
 
Armenia 
------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Burns explained the Administration is opposed to an 
Armenia Genocide Resolution (AGR) in Congress.   Yalcindag 
argued the genocide debate hampered progress on a variety of 
issues, including the border.  The Turkish and Armenian 
foreign ministers have a close relationship, but she claimed 
both are reluctant to let this relationship become public. 
Most participants agreed that the genocide debate backed 
Turkey into a corner.  Uysal argued the Nagorno-Karabkh issue 
must be resolved before the GOT could act.  Alaton described 
 
ISTANBUL 00000872  002 OF 003 
 
 
his personal efforts to bring both sides together prior to 
the Nagorno-Karabkh crisis, which derailed reconciliation 
efforts.  Memecan thought a key GOT goal should be changing 
the diaspora focus from hatred and punitive actions, such as 
the genocide resolution, to the promotion of Armenian 
cultural heritage in Turkey.  Burns noted it takes time for 
diaspora communities in the United States and elsewhere to 
move beyond historic grievances and focus on positive results 
-- this is as true for Irish-Americans as it is for 
Armenian-Americans.  Memecan described the historical 
commission idea promoted by PM Erodgan and explained that the 
U.S. could play a useful role as a catalyst and liaison by 
bringing the two sides together and keeping the focus on 
facts not rhetoric. 
 
EU 
-- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Uysal explained that in the minds of the Turkish 
public the EU accession and AGR issues were linked; both 
problems were viewed as external forces placing constantly 
changing demands upon Turkey.  He acknowledged this 
perception was not entirely accurate, but most agreed that at 
least in the case of the EU Turkey had legitimate complaints. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Alaton asked for U/S Burns' view of recent French 
government statements regarding Iran.  The Sarkozy government 
is very tough on Iran, U/S Burns explained, they are pressing 
for Europe to continue with the current UN sanctions, but 
believe the EU might need to implement even tougher 
sanctions.  This is an area where the U.S. differs from the 
GOT: the USG believes it is a mistake to conclude a 
multibillion dollar gas deal when Iran is subject to a UN 
sanctions regime.  Kalsin stressed Turkey's national interest 
in keeping Iran from gaining nuclear weapons technology.  She 
also noted Turkey would never support a war against Iran. 
Uysal explained pursuing Iranian gas could preclude fully 
exploiting Turkmen and Azeri gas.  Central Asian gas does not 
need to come to Turkey through Iran, and the Southern 
Corridor needs strong Turkish support, he argued.  Burns 
underscored US support for the Southern Corridor explaining 
it helps prevent a Russian monopoly and is in all of our 
interests. 
 
Northern Iraq 
------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) U/S Burns asked whether public pressure on the GOT 
in support of a cross border operation (CBO) had lessened 
over the past year.  Both Yalcindag and Alaton strongly 
agreed, although Alaton noted pro-CBO rhetoric remains 
heated.  Yalcintas explained the delicate balancing act the 
Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) plays with regard to trade 
with and investment in Northern Iraq.  In light of the 
security situation he is unwilling to lead delegations of ITO 
members, primarily small and medium business owners, to 
Northern Iraq.  However, ITO has hosted a number of 
delegations of Iraqi businessmen, some organized by the USG, 
in Istanbul.  A large number of Iraqi businessmen have opened 
companies in Istanbul to conduct business with Northern Iraq; 
these are fully functioning Turkish companies and ITO 
members.  ITO strongly encourages this type of commercial 
interaction, he explained. 
 
Public Opinion and Future Actions 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Memecan described the sense of kinship she felt for 
the Iraqi people when coalition forces entered Iraq in 2003. 
This pan-Muslim sense of solidarity helps explain recent 
negative public opinion toward the United States.  Uysal 
described Turkish public opinion as emotional and fickle, a 
characterization with which all the Turkish guests  agreed. 
The CG explained that politicians had two options when 
confronting strong public opinion:  to be led by public 
opinion or to attempt to shape public opinion.  U/S Burns 
asked whether the recent electoral mandate had given the GOT 
the standing it needed to take hard decisions and reach out 
to Armenians and Kurds.  Yalcindag expressed her belief that 
the new government was committed to moving forward on a host 
of difficult issues including economic and constitutional 
reform as well as foreign policy issues.  Memecan described 
the GOT's aim as being better friends with its neighbors and 
the world.  Alaton asked whether this would include inviting 
Iraqi President Talabani to Ankara on an official visit, but 
she declined to reply. 
 
ISTANBUL 00000872  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶10.  U/S Burns cleared this message. 
WIENER