VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0850 1691035
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181035Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9915
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000850 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958 DECL: 06/15/2019 
TAGS: PREL RS USNATO TU
SUBJECT: MFA ON NATO SECGEN,S FAREWELL VISIT  AND NRC 
 
Classified By: Pol-Mil Counselor Anthony Godfrey, 1.4 (b,d) 
 
¶1.    (C) Summary: NATO and Euro-Atlantic Security Affairs 
Department Head Gulhan Ulutekin provided a readout of NATO 
Sec Gen Jaap de Hoop Scheffer,s June 8 farewell visit to 
Turkey and briefed us on Turkey,s position regarding the 
NATO Russia Council (NRC).  She also confirmed that the MFA 
is coordinating with Rasmussen,s staff to include Ankara in 
Rasmussen,s initial visit to Allied capitals as the new NATO 
SecGen.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) NATO SecGen de Hoop Scheffer met with President Gul, 
PM Erdogan, FM Davutoglu, CHOD Basbug, and DefMin Gonul 
during this June 8 farewell visit to Ankara.  NATO and 
Euro-Atlantic Security Affairs Department Head Gulhan 
Ulutekin reported that although the visit was mostly a 
formality, there were two substantive issues discussed during 
de Hoop Scheffer,s meetings with FM Davutoglu: Turkish 
representation in the group of "Wise Men" that will help 
prepare NATO,s new Strategic Concept, and Turkish concerns 
about NATO headquarters reform currently being debated. 
Ulutekin said the GOT nominated former Turkish PermRep to 
NATO Ambassador Umit Pamir as a member of the group of Wise 
Men that would help shape the Strategic Concept, and said de 
Hoop Scheffer signaled to FM Davutoglu that Pamir,s 
candidacy will be accepted. 
 
Headquarters Reforms 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) FM Davutoglu took the opportunity to raise GOT 
concerns about proposals to reform NATO headquarters, 
according to Ulutekin.  While the GOT supported efforts to 
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of NATO, Davutoglu 
stressed that the "consensus principle" is paramount for 
Turkey.  Ulutekin said proposals to do away with the 
"consensus principle" at lower levels of NATO may create the 
unintended consequence of overloading the North Atlantic 
Council with proposals that have not been fully debated and 
vetted by all Allies. 
 
¶4. (C) With respect to the civilian budget, Ulutekin said 
Turkey understood the rationale for empowering the SecGen 
with more executive authority, including greater flexibility 
in shifting funds between line items in the civilian budget. 
Ulutekin, however, noted that the current SecGen already has 
some flexibility in this regard.  Without specifying a 
threshold, Ulutekin said FM Davutoglu told de Hoop Scheffer 
that the new SecGen should consult Allies when "significant 
amounts" of the budget are being shifted.  Ulutekin said de 
Hoop Scheffer expressed appreciation for Turkey's 
constructive role in the Alliance, particularly with respect 
to Afghanistan and Kosovo. 
 
¶5. (C) Ulutekin also touched on the MFA,s preparations for 
the incoming NATO SecGen Rasmussen.  She said Rasmussen is 
now "our Secretary General," and Turkey would "support him 
constructively."  The MFA has been in contact with Ambassador 
Jasper Vahr, former Danish ambassador to Turkey and 
Rasmussen,s choice to be the director of his Private Office, 
and has encouraged Rasmussen, through Vahr, to include Ankara 
as a stop in his initial round of visits to Allied capitals 
as the new SecGen.  She said Vahr has sent positive signals 
to the MFA and Turkey is expecting a visit by the new SecGen 
toward the end of August. 
 
NRC: Davutoglu to Attend 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. (C) Raising NRC briefly, Ulutekin welcomed the Alliance 
decision to engage with Russia through the NRC at the level 
of foreign ministers.  She said Turkey has consistently 
supported maintaining open channels with Russia, not as a 
favor to the Russians, but to ensure that dialogue occurs 
between Russia and the Alliance, particularly when there are 
"tough issues" with Russia.  Referencing a draft document 
circulating among Allies, Ulutekin said Turkey supports the 
proposal to include Afghanistan, counter-narcotics, 
counterterrorism and nonproliferation as priorities on the 
NRC agenda.  She noted Turkey,s proposal in NATO for the NRC 
to also include informal events, such as coffees and "Away 
Days", to add a dimension to the often stilted dynamic of 
formal NRC discussions and create opportunities for informal 
exchanges of views.  She confirmed that FM Davutoglu intends 
to participate in the NRC meeting following the informal 
meeting of OSCE foreign ministers in Corfu. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
JEFFREY