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R 031213Z DEC 07
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001029 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
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EEB FOR A/S SULLIVAN 
EUR FOR DAS BRYZA 
SCA FOR MANN 
DO FOR HEGBURG 
USTDA FOR DAN STEIN 
 
REF: ANKARA 2720 
 BAKU 1049 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AJ ENRG EPET IR IZ KZ RS TU
SUBJECT:  Energy Secretary Bodman Meets with Turkish Prime Minister 
Erdogan 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On November 18, Energy Secretary Bodman met with 
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan on the margins of the Turkish Greek 
Interconnector (TGI) Ceremony.  Also present was Turkish Energy 
Minister Guler, as well as representation from the Turkish MFA.  The 
Secretary and the Prime Minister discussed the TGI ceremony, Caspian 
 
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energy issues, gas transit, pipelines, nuclear energy, the Global 
Nuclear Energy Partnership, the war on terror, Erdogan's November 
5th visit to Washington, and PKK terrorism.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
¶2. (U) Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman participated in the Turkish 
Greek Interconnector natural gas pipeline opening ceremony on 
November 18.  The celebration, which took place on the border both 
in Turkey and Greece, commemorated the completion of the first link 
of a southern energy route from the Caspian to Western Europe that 
bypasses Russia.  The TGI will initially transport 250 million cubic 
meters of gas each year from Azerbaijan to Greece.  This volume 
shoul triple by 2012 when the pipeline is expected to rach Italy. 
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erogan and Greek Prime Minister 
Kostas Karamanlis hook hands on the border to highlight the 
creatin of a "peace bridge" between their countries.  Azrbaijan 
President Ilham Aliyev, who also spoke a the ceremony, said that he 
is ready to expand enrgy projects with the European Union. 
Secretary odman welcomed the TGI as a "critical new energy bidge" 
 
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connecting east and west.  While on the Tukish side of the ceremony 
site, Secretary Bodmanmet separately with President Aliyev and 
Prime Miister Erdogan. 
------------------------ 
Bodman- Erdogan Meeting 
------------------------ 
 
3.(SBU) PM Erdogan thanked Secretary Bodman for comig to Turkey 
and participating in the Turkish Grek Interconnector (TGI) 
ceremony.  Erdogan noted that Secretary Bodman's participation was 
extremel timely considering the importance that we all attch to 
global energy supply. The Secretary congraulated the PM on the TGI 
ceremony and noted thatit was good for Turkey, the region, and the 
world.  The Secretary also expressed his appreciation fo the work 
of Energy Minister Guler, who was enhancing energy production and 
security in Turkey and the region. 
 
-------------- 
Caspian Energy 
-------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) PM Erdogan explained that Turkey is prepared to transfer 
Caspian and Middle Eastern energy resources to Europe and beyond. 
TGI and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipelines now mean that Europe 
can directly access Caspian oil and gas, bypassing Russia. 
According to the PM, Turkey would become the world's fourth largest 
energy distribution center after Norway, Russia, and Algeria.  To 
realize this, he added, Turkey needs help from the U.S. similar to 
that the USG provided to make the BTC a reality.  Turkey plans to 
give priority to talks with Azerbaijan on the transit of gas from 
Azerbaijan to Europe.  The Secretary said that he had met Azerbaijan 
President Aliyev earlier that day and that there is a question 
concerning whether Turkey wants to simply transfer gas or get paid 
in other ways, in addition to transit fees.  The Secretary noted 
that we support Turkey as a regional energy transit country.  (Note: 
While we have no opinion on the issue raised by the Azerbaijani 
President, we hope that Turkey and Azerbaijan can come to an 
agreement that is fair and commercially viable, because that is 
important for successful transit of the gas.  End note.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Erdogan expressed hope that USAID would support Azerbaijan 
by completing a feasibility study (not further identified) that 
would be important to supply security.  He also stated that it would 
be useful to have joint/regional cooperation in support of 
Turkmenistan and asked the Secretary's views. Bodman said that there 
are limits to the quantity of gas that Azerbaijan can provide.  In 
addition, the U.S. is working with the Iraqis in an effort to help 
 
ISTANBUL 00001029  002 OF 002 
 
 
them produce and export more gas. (Note: The Secretary was 
diplomatically stating that over the long haul, Turkmen and Kazak 
gas will be available for transport, so the Turks should not act in 
any way that would discourage such developments, and that it is not 
that Azerbaijan is resource poor but rather capacity constrained; in 
that its resources are challenging to develop. End note.) 
 
--------------- 
Bypass Projects 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) PM Erdogan raised Turkey's support for a Bosporus bypass 
pipeline from Samsun to Ceyhan.  Concerns raised by 
environmentalists, NGOs, and others have been addressed.  Erdogan 
asked for USG support.  The Secretary said that he hoped the Turks 
would talk to the companies. It is up to them to determine the 
feasibility and profitability of such pipelines. 
 
-------------- 
Nuclear Energy 
-------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The PM referred to the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, or 
123, agreement, stating that the Turks attach great importance to 
it.  The Secretary replied that he and Secretary Rice had forwarded 
the signed agreement last week to President Bush, whom they expected 
would forward it to Congress shortly. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Minister Guler indicated that Turkey currently gets 52 
percent of its electricity from its own natural gas power plants. 
It plans to increase the number of hydroelectric and thermal power 
plants.  Turkey will still, however, face future energy shortfalls. 
From a nuclear perspective, the PM said that Turkey plans to proceed 
with plans to build nuclear power plants because they are needed to 
meet gaps in Turkey's energy needs.  In this regard, the Turks have 
spoken with the Canadians, the French, the British, and the Germans. 
 (Note: the PM did not mention that in February 2006, Energy 
Minister Guler visited a nuclear power plant in the U.S.)  The 
Secretary responded that we are prepared to work with the Turks on 
 
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nuclear energy issues, that the Turks had participated as observers 
in the most recent GNEP Ministerial, and that we hoped they would 
join GNEP as a full fledged member.  If the Turks elect not to join 
GNEP at this time, the Secretary said that he hoped they would 
participate in the next GNEP Ministerial in December as observers. 
 
--------------- 
Regional Issues 
--------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) PM Erdogan told Bodman that Turkey is going through a very 
important period in terms of peace and security both globally and 
regionally.  He spoke positively of his November 5 meeting with 
President Bush.  The task now is to implement what they discussed. 
 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Secretary told the PM that we take our relationship 
with Turkey very seriously and that we view Turkey not just as an 
ally but also as a valuable friend.  He noted that we appreciate 
Turkey's support for the war on terror and that we stand with Turkey 
in its battles with the PKK, because PKK is not just Turkey's enemy 
but also ours. 
 
¶11. (U) This message was cleared by Secretary Bodman's party.