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S E C R E T STATE 065812 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: AS: 06/05/2028 
TAGS: OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA PREL PTER PGOV
IZ, IR, TU 
SUBJECT: Secretary Rice's Meeting with Turkish FM 
Babacan in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2008. 
 
¶1.  (U) Classified by Kurt Volker, EUR/FO.  Reasons: 
1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶2.  (U) Participants: 
 
United States 
Secretary Rice 
S/CT Coordinator Ambassador Dailey 
NEA Assistant Secretary C. David Welch 
PA Sean McCormack 
EUR Acting Assistant Secretary Kurt Volker 
ISN Acting Assistant Secretary Patty McNerney 
SCA Acting Assistant Secretary Don Camp 
EUR/SE Acting Director Baxter Hunt 
EUR/SE Turkey Desk Officer Paul Malik (notetaker) 
 
Turkey 
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan 
Ambassador Nabi Sensoy 
Deputy Undersecretary for Bilateral Affairs Haydar 
Berk 
Deputy Undersecretary for the Middle East Feridun 
Sinirlioglu 
Ersin Ercin, Deputy Director General for Americas 
Burak Ozugergin, Deputy Director General and 
Spokesman 
Deputy Chief of Mission Burak Akcapar 
Damla Say, Head of Department for Americas 
Counselor Murat Karagoz (notetaker) 
 
¶3.  (S) SUMMARY:  In Babacan's first official visit 
to the State Department, the Secretary spoke of the 
close working relationship with Turkey in many key 
areas.  He thanked the Secretary for U.S. 
cooperation with Turkey in combating PKK terrorism. 
The Secretary assured Babacan of strong U.S. support 
for Turkey's EU vocation.  The Secretary thanked 
Turkey for its role in helping Iraqi officials 
understand the advantages of a Status of Forces 
Agreement (SOFA), but stressed our concerns over 
Turkey introducing new elements into the Iraqi 
election law.  Babacan returned repeatedly to 
Turkey's proposed participatory formula for Kirkuk. 
Both the Secretary and Babacan expressed optimism 
for a renewed Cyprus settlement process under UN 
auspices.  The Secretary asked Babacan for 
additional flexibility in EU-NATO cooperation, 
including by agreeing on the KFOR OpPlan before the 
upcoming NATO MOD's meeting.  Babacan said Turkey 
supports closer NATO-EU relations, but that the 
sinking of the Annan Plan on Cyprus in 2004 had 
poisoned relations between the two organizations. 
The Secretary thanked Babacan for the constructive 
role Turkey has played in Lebanon, but cautioned not 
to allow the Syrians and Lebanese minority to hijack 
the elections.  Finally, the Secretary expressed her 
belief that Iran would not accept the recent P5/1 
package, and pressed Turkey to support efforts to 
impose additional sanctions against Tehran.  Babacan 
reiterated his government's opposition to Iran's 
nuclear and missile proliferation ambitions, but 
seemed surprised by the Secretary's warning not to 
underestimate U.S. will.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶4.  (S) Following a restricted bilateral meeting 
between Secretary Rice and Turkish Foreign Minister 
Babacan, the expanded meeting atmospherics were very 
positive but frank.  Both the Secretary and FM 
Babacan underscored their close and frequent 
cooperation on a host of interests, acknowledging 
the two countries shared the same values.  Babacan 
noted that, although Turkey and the United States 
share the same goals, each takes its own route to 
achieve them.  He added that Turkey is seeking to 
expand its influence beyond its own neighborhood by 
opening an additional 15 embassies in sub-Saharan 
Africa, as well as more in Latin America, and new 
consulates in India.  Turkey and its successful 
reform program, undertaken as part of the EU 
accession process, are seen as an example for 
others. 
 
¶5.  (S) Babacan criticized French President Sarkozy 
for undermining Turkey's EU accession negotiations, 
citing new proposed French constitutional reforms 
that will discriminate against Turkey (by requiring 
a referendum on Turkish EU membership, but not that 
of other current aspirants).  This latest potential 
setback came on top of the five chapters that the 
French had earlier frozen, and continued unhelpful 
rhetoric.  He asked that Turkey be treated fairly 
and not prejudged.  The Secretary reassured Babacan 
that the United States is highly supportive of 
Turkey's accession and suggested the Europeans would 
be making a strategic error if they drew the line at 
Turkey.  She said we could raise the issue next week 
during the President's visit to France, with the aim 
of quieting the rhetoric, and keeping the process 
going and chapters open.  Babacan was appreciative 
and said that his government's April 2007 EU roadmap 
kept domestic reforms moving forward on all fronts, 
regardless of the negative rhetoric from some 
European capitals.  He lamented the fact that 
Turkish public support for EU accession had dropped 
from about 75% in 2004 to 50% currently. 
 
 
¶6.  (S) On the PKK and Iraq, Babacan heartily 
thanked the Secretary for support against the PKK, 
citing the November 5, 2007, meeting between Prime 
Minister Erdogan and President Bush as a watershed 
that also helped boost U.S. approval ratings in 
Turkey.  Babacan talked of Turkey's new strategic 
dialogue with Iraq, the Talabani visit to Turkey, 
and the impending visit of Erdogan to Baghdad.  But, 
he also warned that the Kurdistan Regional 
Government (KRG) needed to move to interdict the 
PKK.  The Secretary thanked Turkey for the role it 
is playing in educating Iraqi officials about how a 
SOFA can help to build an enduring relationship 
without undermining sovereignty. 
 
¶7. (S) The Secretary warned Babacan that Turkey's 
proposal for a power-sharing deal in Kirkuk was 
unhelpful and threatened to derail an agreement on 
Kirkuk, which had been close to conclusion before 
the Turks became involved.  She pressed Babacan to 
take his cues from the UN Assistance Mission Iraq 
(UNAMI) and Di Mistura.  Babacan, clearly not 
grasping the Secretary's tone, argued that the 
multicultural nature of Kirkuk and the forced 
repopulation of the city demanded the kind of 
formula the Turks were proposing.  He claimed that 
Talabani shares this view.  The Secretary retorted 
that there was no consensus on the formula and that 
it would have exactly the opposite effect, making 
people suspicious.  The best guidance comes from 
UNAMI and any new elements at this late stage will 
only torpedo a fragile compromise, she added. 
Babacan took a third run, arguing that Turkish 
Special Envoy for Iraq Ozcelik had already met with 
Nechirvan Barzani but believed Massoud Barzani held 
the key to reaching consensus on acceptance of the 
Turkish formula.  The Secretary recommended that 
Babacan have Ozcelik discuss this further with 
Ambassador Satterfield. 
 
¶8.  (S) In response to Babacan's question regarding 
the status of the Iraqi hydrocarbons law, the 
Secretary said that the holdups are not because of 
revenue sharing or contracting issues, but really 
the role of the state, and that it should be 
resolved soon.  She said that Nechirvan Barzani, in 
his recent Washington visit, said that the law would 
be discussed in Baghdad.  It appears that an Iraqi 
state oil company would make the Kurds nervous about 
attracting capital and foreign investment.  Babacan 
reminded the Secretary that, on the margins of the 
recent Iraq Compact meeting in Stockholm, he had 
told her that Iraq appears to have excluded Turkish 
companies from the initial list of 45 companies 
approved for the oil/gas sector.  He hoped to see 
Turkish companies on the next list, especially since 
Turkey is keen to help get Iraqi oil/gas to European 
markets. 
 
¶9.  (S) The election of President Cristofias in 
Cyprus ushered in renewed optimism for an UN-led 
settlement process on the island, Babacan and the 
Secretary agreed.  Babacan said that Turkey fully 
supports the ongoing technical committee and working 
group meetings, and expects an end of June 
announcement about the comprehensive negotiations. 
He cautioned that it is paramount that well- 
established UN parameters for a bizonal, bicommunal 
state be honored.  Babacan characterized the June 4 
London statement from Christofias and the UK's 
Gordon Brown as unhelpful, changing the parameters 
away from the Annan Plan and toward Government of 
Cyprus negotiating positions.  She said that 
President Bush had worked hard in 2004 to get both 
communities on Cyprus to agree to the Annan Plan, 
and when it failed, the Secretary told the Cypriot 
and Greek governments that it had been a "wasted 
opportunity." 
 
¶10. (S) The Secretary asked Babacan to be more 
flexible on NATO-EU cooperation.  Babacan noted that 
Cyprus unfortunately has negatively impacted EU-NATO 
cooperation.  He said that they had discussed this 
at NATO, but that NATO SecGen de Hoop Scheffer 
encouraged the EU also to take this up directly. 
Babacan claimed that Turkey supports greater 
cooperation with the EU, and between the EU and 
NATO, but that this is being systematically blocked 
by the EU because of Cyprus.  That said, Turkey has 
conducted informal meetings and struck arrangements 
on important issues, such as Kosovo.  EUR PDAS 
Volker urged Babacan to allow the KFOR Op Plan, 
which is currently stuck in the NATO military 
committee, to move forward before the NATO Defense 
Ministers' meeting.  Language protecting Turkish 
interests concerning Cyprus and the EU can be 
negotiated in a cover note, Volker suggested, and 
urged that the Turkish PermRep at NATO be authorized 
to work this out with US Amb. Nuland.  Babacan 
responded that the Turkish General Staff has adopted 
a strict position on the issue, but he would look 
for ways to be flexible.  On a related matter, 
Babacan said that Serbian President Tadic had asked 
for Turkish help with his government's coalition. 
 
¶11. (S) The Secretary thanked Babacan for the 
facilitative role Turkey is playing in the Syria- 
Israel talks, as well as its constructive engagement 
on Lebanon.  She said the Lebanese majority needs 
Turkish involvement so that Syria and the Lebanese 
minority cannot hijack the elections.  Turkey has a 
positive role to play in preventing Syrian meddling. 
 
¶12. (S) Babacan seemed surprised by the strong 
message the Secretary delivered on Iran.  She said 
that Iran is lying to the IAEA and that it is 
improving its enrichment capabilities.  The 
Secretary asked for Turkey's assistance in 
supporting additional sanctions if Iran does not 
accept the recent P5/1 package, which she did not 
expect Tehran to do.  Babacan said Turkey will 
encourage Iran to take the package.  Secretary Rice 
said firmly that the message to deliver to Iran is 
one of isolation.  The United States cannot keep 
waiting; time is short.  We will take steps that 
will be costly and painful for Iran, she said.  The 
United States should not be underestimated. 
 
RICE