VZCZCXRO2320
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #1761 2831449
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091449Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7638
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4819
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 3282
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS ANKARA 001761 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
EEB FOR SPECIAL ENVOY FOR EURASIAN ENERGY GRAY 
EEB FOR ENERGY COORDINATOR MANN 
EUR FOR DAS BRYZA 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECON ENRG TU IR
SUBJECT: TURKEY: ENERGY MINISTER ON INVESTMENT IN IRAN 
 
REF: ANKARA 1580 
 
¶1.  (U) On October 8, Reuters carried an interview with Turkish 
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler on investment in Iran.  The version in 
Turkish provided more detail than the wire service version.  Below 
is a translation by Embassy staff of Guler's comments from the 
original story. 
 
¶2.  (U) Guler said, "Suspending the gas agreement with Iran is out 
of the question.  Once there is a compromise about the buy back 
model and when everything is more clear, there will be a signing. 
There needs to be a text to sign for me to go to Tehran.  It is 
important to have results in these talks.  Regarding (development of 
Iranian) natural gas blocks, there are differences in Iranian 
legislation and our expectations.  We are two neighbors living in 
this region.  We have on-going energy projects which are based on a 
joint history.  These factors are part of the negotiation." 
 
¶3.  (U) In response to a question about why he has not yet traveled 
to Iran, Guler said "I did not go there back in August because there 
was no text to sign.  In the meantime, I went to other countries, 
like Turkmenistan and had new discussions in these places."  The 
article also quoted a senior Ministry of Energy official as saying 
"if there is no change in the buy back model which would be 
acceptable to global investors, we won't be signing an agreement. 
Turkey's aim is to sell gas directly (to the customer) and to have 
Iran as a partner in the investment." 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  Guler's October 7 comments were likely timed to 
get a favorable outcome from a meeting with Iranian Deputy Oil 
Minister the following day.  We continue to hear from Ministry of 
Energy officials and others that getting a deal with Iran, if 
possible at all, will take many, many years.