Cablegate: Turkish Mfa's Response to Demarche On Iranian

VZCZCXRO4431
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH
RUEHLN RUEHMOS RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #6518 3041612
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311612Z OCT 05
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0933
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 8907
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1187
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS ANKARA 006518

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM IR TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON IRANIAN
PRESIDENT'S EXTREMISM

REF: A. STATE 199225
B. STATE 199863

1. (SBU) On 31 October 2005, POLCOUNS and POLOFF delivered to
Turkish MFA Acting Director General for Middle Eastern
Affairs Ambassador Aydin Evirgen reftel demarches. Evirgen
responded by saying, "we share the same views on
Ahmadi-Nejad's statement" and that it was "completely
unacceptable." He also informed us that FM/DPM Gul will be
delivering a public statement on this issue at a press
conference on 1 November 2005 at 9:45 AM (Ankara time).
Evirgen said that Gul's statement would provide a "tougher
message" than Turkish authorities have delivered to date.

2. (U) Turkish reactions to date have consisted of:

-- Prime Minister Erdogan responding to a question at an
October 27 London press conference at which he called on
Ahmadi-Nejad to display political moderation; and

-- MFA spokesmen Namik Tan's response to a question on
October 28th when he stated that the MFA did not have the
full text of the remarks, but added that it was "not possible
to approve" of Ahmadi-Nejad's statement. He stated that
"Turkey continues to pursue relations with all countries in
the region based on...mutual respect and cooperation and
believes that the conflicts in the region can only be
resolved through dialogue and peaceful methods based on
international legitimacy."
MCELDOWNEY

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