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UNCLAS ANKARA 001055 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR PTER ENRG ETTC IR IS TU
SUBJECT: CODELS TANNER AND LEAHY MEET WITH PM ERDOGAN, 
PRESIDENT GUL, AND DEFENSE MINISTER GONUL 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In May 29 meetings with Codels Tanner and 
Leahy, President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan lauded 
improved U.S.-Turkey relations and expressed gratitude for 
U.S. support against PKK terrorism.  Erdogan complained of 
Congressional resolutions introduced on Cyprus and the Aegean 
that work against Turkey's interests.  Both stressed that 
Turkey will continue its military and reconstruction support 
to allied efforts in Afghanistan and the Balkans, while using 
its prestige to promote democracy and stability, and mediate 
disputes, in the Middle East.  They noted the importance of 
NATO and Turkey's support for enlargement and engagement with 
Georgia and Ukraine.  Erdogan was pessimistic about prospects 
for stability in Iraq, but he and Gul pledged to pursue 
improved relations with Iraq and continued assistance. 
Erdogan described government efforts to improve economic and 
political conditions in Turkey's southeast in order to defeat 
PKK terrorism.  Both leaders expressed concerns about Iran's 
nuclear ambitions, calling for international unity to get 
Tehran to change its stance, while downplaying the 
significance of Turkey's energy discussions with Iran. 
Meeting separately with Defense Minister Gonul, Codel Tanner 
urged Turkey to reduce national caveats on its ISAF forces, 
consider additional contributions to Afghanistan, and be 
mindful of the need for NATO interoperability in upcoming 
defense procurement decisions.  End Summary 
 
U.S.-Turkey Relations: Coinciding Agendas 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Gul and Erdogan described the U.S.-Turkey 
relationship as one of "coinciding agendas and mutual goals" 
in confronting global terrorism, human and drug trafficking, 
and regional challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and 
Caucasus.  Drawing particular attention to Ambassador's 
efforts, Erdogan stated a new era in bilateral cooperation 
had begun with his November 5, 2007 meeting with President 
Bush and the clear U.S. commitment to helping Turkey combat 
PKK terrorism.  "The Turkish people appreciate this," Gul 
told the Codels.  Gul and Erdogan highlighted NATO as the 
cornerstone of Turkey's security in a changing world.  Turkey 
is maintaining its commitment to Afghanistan with over 800 
troops in ISAF, while contributing to Balkans peacekeeping as 
well.  Erdogan informed that Turkey will contribute 32 
civilian police to the EULEX mission in Kosovo.  Both Gul and 
Erdogan stated that Turkey was disappointed not all MAP 
countries were invited to join NATO at the Bucharest summit 
and hopes that this will soon be remedied, while welcoming 
NATO's engagement with Georgia and Ukraine. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Afghanistan is an important test for NATO, Gul told 
the Codels.  Training the Afghan army is vital, as is winning 
 
over the public.  Afghans want us to teach them to defend 
Afghanistan, rather than sending our children to do the job, 
Gul commented.  Praising US efforts and commitment, Gul 
added, "the ultimate success rests in winning the hearts and 
minds of the people."  Through its PRT and Turkish NGOs, 
Turkey is building schools that have educated 50,000 children 
and hospitals that have treated over one million Afghans, Gul 
said.  If we tell them not to raise poppies, we must tell 
them what to raise instead, he stressed.  We must look for 
ways to win over the people, such as paving roads that are 
now deep mud - a project Turkey has allocated $50 million to 
launch. 
 
But Concerns with Congressional Resolutions 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Expressing condolences for the death of Rep Tom 
Lantos, Erdogan said that his government looks forward to 
working with the next Congress on areas of mutual concern. 
He complained, however, that the current Congress had 
introduced sixteen resolutions against Turkey's interests, 
the majority appearing to take the Greek side on Aegean 
disputes and Cyprus.  He claimed that seven of the 
resolutions introduced addressed the Cyprus situation in a 
way unfavorable to Turkish interests, despite the fact that 
Turkish Cypriots had voted in favor of the Annan Plan after 
Turkey closely consulted with Congress.  Meanwhile, U.S. and 
EU promises to ease Turkish Cypriot isolation remain to be 
fulfilled and the Annan Report on the 2004 referendum has not 
been published.  Turkey hopes the next Congress will see 
things differently. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Senator Leahy and Rep Tanner both expressed their 
appreciation for Turkey's progress and understanding for 
Turkey's challenging neighborhood.  Tanner praised Turkey's 
invaluable contributions to NATO over the years and expressed 
his gratitude for improved Turkey-U.S. relations since last 
fall.  Rep McCarthy said that any family has its 
disagreements.  She said she had been a sponsor of the 
Armenian genocide resolution (HR 106) but she and others had 
taken their names off the bill when Rep Tanner explained the 
potential harm to our bilateral relations. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Responding to Codel's questions, Erdogan said the 
situation in Iraq is not promising.  In addition to ongoing 
ethnic and sectarian violence, al Qaeda is using Iraq as a 
training ground, as are PKK terrorists.  The Iraqi government 
lacks an effective national army, with Kurds in the north and 
Shi'a in the south maintaining their own military formations. 
 Meanwhile, strong central authority is lacking and a 
hydrocarbons law has yet to be passed.  Gul and Erdogan 
stressed that Turkey seeks to help by improving bilateral 
relations, trying to establish an industrial zone along the 
border with Kuwait, and promoting democracy with all parties. 
 Asked by Sen Leahy if al Qaeda operationed in Iraq before 
the fall of Saddam Hussein, Erdogan stated that al Qaeda had 
not come until after Saddam's removal from power. 
 
PKK 
--- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Asked about the government's success in dealing with 
the Kurdish issue in Turkey, Erdogan said military and law 
enforcement measures would not be enough; sociological, 
psychological, cultural and economic measures are also called 
for.  He explained that his Justice and Development party 
(AKP) is the strongest party in southeastern Turkey.  AKP has 
70 Kurdish-origin members of parliament and four of the 
government's ministers have Kurdish roots, he claimed.  The 
government has invested $8 billion in the southeast and is 
planning $12.5 billion in additional new projects in the 
region over the next five years, focusing on food, water, and 
transportation needs.  Erdogan reported that 95 percent of 
the schools in the southeast now have computers.  The 
government's drive to bring the wealthy west and poor east 
into balance is already undermining the PKK's appeal, Erdogan 
stated. 
 
Israel-Syria and Lebanon 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Codel members congratulated Erdogan and Gul on their 
recent efforts to mediate peace between Israel and Syria and 
asked about the likelihood of success.  Erdogan reported that 
both sides had expressed an interest in peace and had 
accepted Turkey's offer to mediate.  Success will require 
great patience and shuttle diplomacy, but early indications 
are promising.  The current plan is for stakeholders to meet 
three times per month, but could also meet more frequently if 
desirable.  Gul cited Turkey's mediation efforts in 
Israel-Syria talks and its role in resolving the recent 
Lebanon crisis and examples of its direct involvement in 
finding regional solutions.  He assured the Codels that 
Turkey remains in close touch with the U.S. on its mediation 
efforts with Syrian and Israel, and in Lebanon. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Gul told the Codels that Turkey is working hard with 
all regional actors to achieve stability, while advancing 
democracy, transparency and multi-party politics.  The over 
one million Iranian and Syrian tourists who visit Turkey each 
year compare the level of freedom and economic development in 
Turkey with that in their countries.  Gul said Iran must be 
convinced not to pursue a nuclear weapons program, although 
he doubted that Iran had made much progress given its 
technical isolation.  Nevertheless, the international 
community must remain united in its stand, Gul concluded. 
 
¶10. (SBU) On the margins of the meeting with the Prime 
Minister, Codel members challenged AKP MPs on GOT efforts to 
 
foster energy cooperation with Iran at a time when Iran is 
not cooperating with the international community demands 
regarding its nuclear program.  Parliamentary Foreign Affairs 
Committee chairman Murat Mercan stated that Turkey above all 
countries does not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon, which 
would strengthen the influence of a regional competitor.  The 
Head of the Turkish Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary 
Assembly, AKP MP Vahit Erdem, stated that Turkey might also 
be compelled to acquire nuclear weapons if Iran does so.  He 
and Mercan downplayed Turkish energy cooperation with Iran as 
preliminary, with little serious follow-up to date.  Mercan 
noted that he had seen Western business people in Tehran 
hotels.  The West must approach Iran in a unified fashion, 
using political and economic levers in harmony. 
 
Meeting with MOD Gonul 
---------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU)  In a separate May 29 meeting with Minister of 
Defense Vecdi Gonul, Codel Tanner recognized Turkey's 
significant assistance in Afghanistan, emphasizing that NATO 
is uniquely placed to help the Afghan people.  Rep Tanner 
told Minister Gonul that the caveats imposed by Allies on 
their troops hindered NATO's efforts in Afghanistan.  He also 
urged Turkey to consider the importance of interoperablity 
when making military procurement decisions.  Gonul flagged 
Turkey's unique role as the only Muslim member of NATO and 
noted the common cultural ground between Turkey and 
Afghanistan.  He recounted the essential responsibilities 
Turkey had in NATO for so many years, with the longest Warsaw 
Pact border of any Ally.  Turkey is working on sending more 
forces to Afghanistan, Gonul claimed to Tanner, but is 
constrained by the needs of its own terrorist fight against 
the PKK.  Tanner urged Turkey to take on a greater role in 
training and mentoring the Afghan Army.  On the Codel's 
question of how to convince other Allies to provide more lift 
support in Afghanistan, Gonul argued that a more equitable 
system of burden sharing be implemented, suggesting that 
wealthier Allies should contribute more than they do 
currently.  Gonul told Tanner that the Turkish people 
appreciated the U.S. intelligence sharing on the PKK, and 
stressed that Turkish military strikes against PKK terrorists 
in northern Iraq would continue to be carefully aimed so as 
not to harm civilians. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
WILSON