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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001167 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2018 
TAGS: MARR PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: BUREAUCRATIC ELITES CAUGHT HOLDING HANDS IN THE DARK 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner,  for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) 
 
 ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Evidence of secret alliances among Turkey's 
unelected elites, including elements of the military, 
judiciary, and bureaucracy, emerged in recent days.  Although 
Turks have long accepted as fact the existence of an alleged 
"deep state" network pulling strings behind the scenes, 
concrete evidence has been scarce.  Now, revelations of a 
meeting between a Constitutional Court judge and the 
soon-to-be Chief of Defense have raised flags that the deep 
state is more than legend.  The controversy surrounding the 
meeting -- and non-controversy in some quarters -- is further 
evidence of Turkey's polarization and may have a corrosive 
effect on the credibility of the highest court.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) "Taraf" daily headlined a report June 13 that 
Constitutional Court Vice Chairman Osman Paksut paid a 
hush-hush visit to Land Forces Commander General Ilker 
Basbug, slated to become CHOD in August.  The March 4 meeting 
occurred ten days before the chief prosecutor filed the 
closure case in the Constitutional Court against the ruling 
Justice and Development Party (AKP).  Taraf claimed the 
entire floor where the general's office is located was 
cleared and security cameras turned off prior to Paksut's 
arrival for the one hour-plus meeting.  According to Enis 
Berberoglu of Hurriyet daily, Paksut twice denied the meeting 
had taken place; after the Taraf story, however, Paksut 
explained he had visited the general to congratulate him for 
the military's late February cross-border ground operation 
into Northern Iraq and offer his condolences on the loss of 
27 troops.  He also suggested that the emergence of this 
story, three months after the fact, indicated he had been 
under surveillance at the time, and claimed there were 
efforts to convince the public that ties exist between the 
Court and the Turkish General Staff (TGS). 
 
¶3. (SBU) General Basbug on June 14 confirmed the meeting has 
happened but stated its purpose was limited to discussing the 
CBO; he denied other allegations.  In an announcement, the 
TGS described the meeting as "within the framework of 
civilized friendship."  The TGS criticized Taraf for 
presenting the meeting "as if (Paksut and Basbug) met 
secretly for a crime, although these organizations were not 
involved in a crime at all."  It also accused the newspaper 
of resorting to unethical means by claiming its source was 
within the TGS.  The TGS charged that a campaign was being 
conducted to tarnish the image of the Turkish Armed Forces 
and its commanders, adding it would file legal charges. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Subsequent media coverage revealed a striking split: 
mainstream papers (including Hurriyet, which caught Paksut in 
his initial denials) declared the story not worth reporting 
and quickly ceased coverage; smaller and more fringe media, 
however, were in a furor.  Ultra-nationalist paper Yeni Cag 
decried a disinformation campaign against the military. 
Writers in Yeni Safak, Star, Bugun, and Aksam papers -- and 
of course Taraf -- suggested the meeting, the lack of 
transparency, and the threats of legal action against critics 
were inappropriate in a democracy. 
 
¶5. (C) Former justice Mustafa Bumin told us he does not 
accept allegations of cooperation between Paksut and Basbug. 
Bumin said in all his years as a top judge -- including five 
as President of the Constitutional Court (2000-2005) -- he 
had never received a single request from the military, 
although brief official visits were very normal.  However, he 
hinted at his disapproval of this controversial meeting, 
suggesting we should expect many other "incidents" from 
Paksut, who as a former career diplomat "has a different type 
of character." 
 
¶6. (C) COMMENT.  Turks have long believed the deep state 
exists.  The Paksut-Basbug meeting is one of the few 
acknowledgments of shady inter-institutional liaisons -- made 
all the more so by Paksut's multiple denials before his 
admission.  Increasingly over the past year, the judiciary, 
 
ANKARA 00001167  002 OF 002 
 
 
often encouraged by the opposition Republican People's Party 
(CHP) and perhaps others, has stepped in to act as a check on 
the elected government through rulings, public announcements, 
or superficially routine speeches.  This meeting -- which 
occurred ten days before the chief prosecutor initiated 
closure proceedings against AKP -- is being evaluated in that 
light.  Secrecy and defensiveness surrounding a "routine" 
meeting demonstrate the disregard elements of the 
bureaucratic elite have for democratic boundaries and public 
transparency.  The unnatural silence of mainstream media 
highlights a split between those who are comfortable with 
"guardianship democracy" and those who find themselves on the 
wrong end of it.  Even some AKP critics express disgust over 
the incident.  While the furor has died down, the bitter 
taste left behind fuels suspicions of hidden bureaucratic 
alliances and the high court's role in curbing the elected 
government.  END COMMENT. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
WILSON