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Viewing cable 09ANKARA1247, SCENESETTER FOR CONGRESSMAN WEXLER'S VISIT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09ANKARA1247 2009-08-24 15:37 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1247/01 2361537
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241537Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0625
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 6194
UNCLAS ANKARA 001247 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
H PASS TO CONGRESSMAN WEXLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV TU
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CONGRESSMAN WEXLER'S VISIT 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  You will find Turks increasingly focused 
on Erdogan's still inchoate "Democratic Initiative," which 
seeks to address the social and economic factors contributing 
to many Turkish Kurds' sense of alienation from their 
government and modern Turkey.  The initiative's opponents 
fear it will lead to the weakening of the Turkish state and 
potentially Turkey's disintegration.  We are quietly 
registering our support for the initiative.  You will want to 
remind your interlocutors that Turkey confronts several 
challenges beyond the terrorist PKK.  The EU reform agenda is 
languishing and Cyprus is looming larger as an obstacle to 
Turkey's European vocation.  Progress on the normalization of 
relations with Armenia has stalled.  Caution your 
interlocutors not to weaken Turkey's commitment to Nabucco, 
which remains important to reducing Europe's energy 
dependence on an undependable Russia.  End Summary 
 
Welcome Back to Turkey 
---------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Your Turkish interlocutors know you, trust your 
commitment to a strong U.S.-Turkey relationship and will 
listen carefully to your analysis.  You will find President 
Gul, the government and AK Party leaders focused on Prime 
Minister Erdogan's "Democratic Initiative," his still very 
much amorphous bid to overcome the alienation, cultural 
backwardness and economic deprivation that have, for decades, 
impelled some Turkish Kurds to support and sometimes join the 
terrorist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 
 
3. (SBU) You will want to encourage the initiative, in 
principle, as the kind of comprehensive approach that offers 
the best chance of success against the very adaptable PKK, 
which continues to survive and fight despite the Turkish 
military's decades-long effort to eradicate it.  You should 
also reiterate our commitment to continued assistance against 
the PKK.  Reassure your interlocutors that our encouragement 
will remain low-profile. 
 
4. (SBU) Both CHP and MHP continue to criticize the 
initiative harshly.  The former's opposition may be more of 
an effort to find political advantage; the stridently 
nationalist MHP, however, fears a steep slippery slope that 
undermines the state's primary function as the guarantor of 
national unity and could lead to the disintegration of 
Turkey.  Remind CHP Chairman Baykal that the United States 
has never wavered in its commitment to Turkey's integrity and 
national unity.  Note, however, our belief that the final 
disposition of the PKK would remove a distraction that has 
long inhibited Turkey's realization of its potential as the 
most powerful agent of the Western agenda in its region. 
 
5. (SBU) The initiative has raised hopes and expectations, 
including our own.  We eagerly await the government's 
unveiling of its details, promised for October.  We, the 
markets and investors will pay particular attention to the 
government's plans to fund the initiative.  If, as is hinted, 
the initiative seeks to invest more budgetary resources in 
southeastern development projects, it should do so without 
undermining the markets' hopes that this Turkish government 
has not entirely abandoned its commitment to fiscal probity. 
 
Save Some of that Bandwidth for Other Issues 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) Though the government's focus on the Democratic 
Initiative, while it is being developed and marketed to the 
Turkish public is understandable, Turkey still confronts a 
range of serious challenges beyond the PKK.  Reviewing that 
agenda with FM Davutoglu will be a useful reminder to him 
that Turkey's friends view the remaining months of this year 
as critical to its European vocation and important to its 
regional aspirations. 
 
7. (SBU) Erdogan's early dash on Turkey's EU reform agenda 
slowed to a crawl over the past few years.  We were 
encouraged by his appointment of Egemen Bagis as Minister for 
EU Accession in January.  Bagis is working hard to catalyze 
progress on constitutional and other legislative reforms.  A 
settlement on Cyprus this year remains key to keeping 
Turkey's accession talks on track.  Reopening Halki seminary 
could help improve the atmosphere with the EU and is the 
right thing to do. 
 
8. (SBU) The number one threat to U.S.-Turkish bilateral 
relations is if the USG or Congress were to endorse a 
resolution labeling the World War I Armenian tragedy a 
genocide.  Turkey's best defense against a resolution would 
be to normalize relations with Armenia as soon as possible. 
9. (SBU) You may want to remind your interlocutors of our 
long-standing commitment to Turkey as an energy corridor to 
Europe.  The Nabucco project is important to reducing 
Europe's dependence on an ultimately undependable Russia.  We 
hope Turkey will honor its commitment to Nabucco's 
realization. 
 
10. (SBU) Compliment Davutoglu on his successful co-hosting 
of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) Senior Officials 
meeting August 24 and ministerial August 25, both in 
Istanbul.  The FoDP aims to galvanize international support 
for Pakistan as it faces critical economic and security 
challenges.  You may want to seek his assessment of the 
meetings' successes.  You should know that we are beginning 
to work even more closely with Turkey on Afghanistan. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
Silliman