Cablegate: Bsec Ministerial: View From Ankara

VZCZCXRO3851
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #6154 3031125
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301125Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9674
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7549
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1420
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0081
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0921
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0429
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0002
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5493
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 1090
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 3071
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0250
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 1247
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1538
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1277

UNCLAS ANKARA 006154

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL SENV KCRM TU RS EU SR
SUBJECT: BSEC MINISTERIAL: VIEW FROM ANKARA

REF: A) STATE 162288

B) ISTANBUL 1910

1. SUMMARY: Turkey's MFA welcomed the U.S. proposal on an
environment initiative with BSEC (Ref A) and supported the concept
in principle, as part of a positive message on BSEC potential for
bringing broader Black Sea countries together to discuss critical
issues. MFA's BSEC point person told us that the meeting of BSEC's
Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Moscow on November 1
would be too early to introduce a new initiative. Rather, the
initiative should be worked and fleshed out in BSEC's Environment
Working Group. End Summary.

--------------------------------------------- ----
Environment Critical - Work through Working Group
--------------------------------------------- ----

2. MFA DDG Ahmet Asim Arar, the GOT's working level BSEC
coordinator, told us that environment was a critical area for Black
Sea cooperation. Welcoming the U.S. initiative - and welcoming the
U.S. actively using its new observer status, he said that Turkey
could be supportive, but would need to evaluate details of the
resolution, including financing aspects, and consult within the
environment working group. Noting that Turkey was the coordinator
of this working group through the end of 2007, Arar stated that it
would be useful to have a concrete proposal for the next working
group meeting, tentatively targeted for next March. In the
meantime, he promised to consult with Serbia on its work program for
its Chairmanship, which would start on November 1, followed by
Turkey's six months later.

3. GOT MFA Environment Department Head Namik Erpul was also
supportive of the U.S. environment initiative, promising to consult
with other countries. He noted the importance of broader Black Sea
countries working together to grapple with the challenge of serious
pollution in the Black Sea. Erpul stressed the need for
coordination with initiatives already underway under auspices of the
EU (DABLAS - Danube River) and the Black Sea Commission (charged to
implement the Bucharest Convention on Environment), but agreed that
BSEC was well placed to be more active in environmental protection.

-----------------
Revitalizing BSEC
-----------------

4. Noting that BSEC was still a relatively young organization, Arar
emphasized the enormous possibilities for action on critical issues.
Turkey is eager to find ways to revitalize BSEC as part of its
six-month chairmanship starting in May next year, which would also
coincide with the 15th anniversary summit. Arar noted that Greece
and Turkey were working together constructively on revitalization,
pointing out that the combination of the new Greek Secretary General
Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos and his Turkish deputy Murat Sungar had
been a positive development. Arar was realistic about the
challenges of the disparate group that included some countries with
fragile relations. He noted the plethora of agreements and MOU's
that were not effectively implemented or enforced. He held out hope
for the BSEC reform process, which would include empowering the
Committee of Senior Officials. Arar noted the challenge of
financing in BSEC, observing that some countries were not paying
dues. He hoped that the project development fund could be expanded
to be more meaningful.

5. COMMENT: Arar was much more positive about BSEC with us than
some previous interlocutors at MFA. Turkey holds a special pride of
authorship in advancing its BSEC vision, while acknowledging the
disparate interests and conflicts embodied in the group.
Environmental protection is an obvious target for the U.S. to seek
to productively use its new observer status, but it will have to
work patiently within the BSEC structure.

Wilson

© Scoop Media