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RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHNC #0576/01 2541304
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 111304Z SEP 09 ZFF4
FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0134
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1521

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NICOSIA 000576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2019 
TAGS: PREL PGOV TR CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS: TURKISH FM SUPPORTS PEACE PROCESS DURING 
VISIT TO THE NORTH BUT "WILL NOT WAIT FOREVER" 
 
REF: A. A. SEPTEMBER 1 KURAN-FITZPATRICK E-MAIL 
     ¶B. B. SEPTEMBER 3 PANICO-NETOS E-MAIL 
     ¶C. C. NICOSIA 561 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic for reasons 1.4 (b) and 
1.4 (d) 
 
 ¶1. (C) Summary: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hit 
all the right notes with his Turkish Cypriot (T/C) audience 
during a one-day, September 1 visit to the "Turkish Republic 
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)."  The goal of the visit was to 
coordinate Cyprus policy with T/C leader 
Mehmet Ali Talat before the second round of UN-brokered peace 
talks that had been scheduled to begin September 3, now 
postponed (Ref C) until September 10.  Davutoglu,s strong 
message of support for Talat's negotiating efforts, combined 
with a pointed warning to the Greek Cypriots that the status 
quo was unacceptable in case of failure, pleased both 
pro-solution activists and "TRNC" hard-liners. Talat advisers 
welcomed Davutoglu's visit, his second including a May 2009 
trip, and praised his new MFA Cyprus team. The T/Cs continue 
to underscore that Davutoglu and Ankara are giving Talat a 
free hand in the negotiations as long as he respects Turkish 
"sensitivities" on guarantees, strong bizonality, and 
political equality.  Greek Cypriots overall dismissed the 
visit as "illegal" and further proof of Ankara's control of 
Talat. End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
"If Solution Doesn't Happen, Status Quo Can,t Persist" 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Davutoglu's one day visit to the island on September 1 
included meetings with Turkish Peace Forces Commander Lt. 
General Hilmi Zorlu, "TRNC PM" Dervish Eroglu, "TRNC FM" 
Huseyin Ozgurgun, Turkish "Ambassador" to the "TRNC" Sakir 
Fakili, and a three-hour meeting with Talat, following by a 
joint press conference. Talat's Chief of Staff Asim Akansoy 
(please protect) told us September 3 that Talat had sought 
the visit to increase Turkish engagement as well as to huddle 
with Davutoglu and his new Cyprus team before the second 
round of UN-brokered talks. Akansoy dubbed the 
Talat-Davutoglu encounter a "a working meeting," and said 
that Talat and his team still had not determined what was 
to be "traded" during the "give and take"; consequently, 
Talat was planning a trip to Ankara in the near future. 
 
¶3. (C) Akansoy said that Talat enjoyed "unlimited" support 
from Davutoglu in his efforts, provided that the Turkish 
Cypriots respected three issues of vital importance to 
Ankara: strong bizonality; political equality; and the 
continuation of guarantees.  He added that Davutoglu was 
largely in listening mode during the meeting with Talat. 
 
4.(C) Talat's Press Secretary, Hasan Ercakica (please 
protect), told us September 4 that Talat previewed to 
Davutoglu the outline of a new Turkish Cypriot proposal on 
electing the chief executive of the federal government that 
would combine communal voting (a T/C concern) with election 
on a single ticket (a G/C position). Under the plan, the T/Cs 
would abandon their proposed "Presidential Council" for two 
rotating "Members of the Presidency"--one Greek Cypriot and 
one Turkish Cypriot--to be elected on a joint ticket by a 
communally elected Senate. It has already been agreed that 
the senate will consist of equal T/C and G/C representation. 
The T/Cs plan to table the proposal at the September 10 
Leaders' meeting. Ercakica said Davutoglu liked the idea and 
had no objections: "As long as Ankara supports us, our 
right-wing anti-solution opposition really cannot foil us." 
An insider from Talat's pro-solution Republican Turkish Party 
dubbed Davutoglu "Talat's PR man" in a September 3 meeting 
with Embassy officers. 
 
¶5. (C) In a joint press conference with Talat, Davutoglu 
voiced strong support for the present peace process while at 
the same time warning the Greek Cypriots that EU-targeted 
pressure was useless and that neither Turkey nor the Turkish 
Cypriots would "wait for ever." He promised, however,  a 
"zone of peace and security in the eastern Mediterranean" if 
the Greek Cypriots abandoned their zero-sum game positions. 
Davutoglu effectively mixed well-worn Turkish rhetoric about 
continued support and 
security for the "TRNC" and Turkish Cypriots with 
exhortations to "unite their country," a reference to the 
existence of a greater Cypriot entity. He made the following 
additional points: 
 
 
NICOSIA 00000576  002 OF 002 
 
 
-- Turkey wants a comprehensive solution on Cyprus; 
-- Turkish Cypriots should support Talat and the peace 
process; 
-- Greek Cypriots should not reject a solution as in 2004 or 
delay the talks to gain concessions related to Turkey's EU 
accession; 
-- The UN must accelerate the pace of the process; 
-- If the present process fails, the continued isolation of 
the T/Cs is unacceptable and will not be allowed to stand: 
"If the (solution) doesn't happen, the (status quo) cannot 
persist." 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Praise for Davutoglu's new Cyprus Team 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Akansoy also praised both Davutoglu and his new MFA 
Cyprus team: "he is really well-versed on our issues unlike 
former FM Ali Babacan, who was wanting on the subject." He 
complained that former U/S Ertugrul Apakan, a hawk, filled 
"the vacuum" during the Babacan-era, much to Talat's 
detriment. Akansoy said that Davutoglu got rid of Apakan 
precisely because of his hard-line views and praised the new 
U/S, Feridun Sinirlioglu, who possesses a "real vision," 
according to Akansoy. 
 
----------------------------- 
"Explained AKP Cyprus Policy" 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Even right-wing Turkish Cypriots, most of whom have 
long quarreled with AKP over its pro-solution Cyprus policy, 
praised Davutoglu's message. Tahsin Ertugruloglu, the former 
head of the anti-solution National Unity Party (UBP) and a 
past "TRNC FM" (1999-2004), called Davutoglu's 
performance "perfect and decisive." He said that Davutoglu 
had finally managed to explain AKP's Cyprus policy, which 
hitherto been cloaked behind the actions of Talat. 
Ertugruloglu added that Davutoglu's emphasis on the 
unacceptability of the status quo,s isolation and the need 
to change it in the event of failure was heartening. "When I 
listen to Davutoglu, I know the Cyprus problem is in good 
hands," he added. 
 
---------------------- 
G/Cs: Visit is Illegal 
---------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) All G/C papers covered Davutoglu's visit and conveyed 
its substance more or less accurately.  Official Greek 
Cypriot reactions were negative, though subdued. Government 
Spokesman Stephanou called the visit "illegal" and urged 
Turkey to implement its EU obligations, namely the Additional 
Ankara Protocol, including opening its ports to Cypriot 
shipping. President Christofias said that "substantial" 
change was needed in Turkish policy to achieve progress in 
the peace talks and that Turkey should alter its attitude 
following the Davutoglu visit.  Political parties struck a 
negative tone, with comments describing the visit ranging 
from "illegal" to "inflammatory." Only the pro-solution main 
opposition DISY party struck a different tack, arguing that 
the Davutoglu visit was another sign of Ankara's "one step 
ahead" Cyprus policy. 
 
¶9. (C) Comment: This is the first time a Turkish FM has so 
directly aimed his message of "solution or else" at Greek 
Cypriots during a visit to the north. Usually, Turkey 
studiously avoids direct messages for the Greek Cypriots, 
letting Talat, for example, answer the numerous brickbats 
aimed at Ankara.  Many Greek Cypriots, including lead Greek 
Cypriot negotiator George Iacovou, interpreted Davutoglu,s 
message as threatening.  The visit also reinforced the 
widespread Greek Cypriot belief that Turkey is calling the 
shots for Talat.  End Comment. 
 
URBANCIC