Wikileaks - DXXXIX

87282 11/28/2006 14:22 06ANKARA6522 Embassy Ankara UNCLASSIFIED 06STATE179472 VZCZCXRO0237 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHAK #6522/01 3321422 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 281422Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0094 INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7611 RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 1430 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0323 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0343 RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0347 RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0073 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5592 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0930 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0278 RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0434 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0232 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN 0082 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0224 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0945 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0541 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0004 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0224 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 0146 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3112 RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 0053 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0426 RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK 0368 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 5499 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0438 RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6617 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0233 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5331 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 0154 RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 0064 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 6604 RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0035 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0199 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 0366 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 1102 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0231 RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 0084 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 3074 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1267 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0252 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0955 RUEHVT/AMEMBASSY VALLETTA 0067 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0008 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1612 RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 0055 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0228 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0108 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 1252 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0175 UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006522

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DEPT PASS TO ISN, T, EUR

E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR, EWWT, KNNP, PARM, PBTS, PHSA, PREL, TU SUBJECT: PSI: TURKEY'S FORMAL REPLY TO U/S JOSEPH LETTER ON UNSCR 1718

REF: A. STATE 179472

B. ANKARA 6385

1. Post received a formal reply to ref a letter from U/S Joseph to MFA Deputy U/S for Security Affairs Rafet Akgunay on November 28. Original of the reply letter will be forwarded via diplomatic pouch. Text of reply follows.

2. Begin Text:

Dear Ambassador Joseph,

I have received your letter of November 2006 concerning the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1718. I would like to take this opportunity to outline Turkey's perspective on this issue.

We believe that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is one of the major threats to global peace and stability, and that any development in this field in any region will have repercussions on the global scale.

In this regard, Turkey is following the developments in North Korea with great concern. We consider that the conducting of a nuclear test by North Korea on October 9 is a deliberate defiance of the explicit warning conveyed by the UN Security Council Presidency on behalf of the international community. The test posed a serious threat to peace and stability in East Asia and beyond. We are also concerned that it will have a negative impact on global nuclear disarmament efforts.

It is our desire to see North Korea refrain from additional action that would further aggravate peace and security in the region, assume once again its commitments on nuclear non-proliferation and resume dialogue with the international community for a full settlement of the nuclear issue.

ANKARA 00006522 002 OF 002

The crisis emanating from North Korea's nuclear program could best be addressed by engaging North Korea in a process of dialogue and encouraging it to act as a responsible member of the international community. We hope that the Six Party Talks, to which North Korea recently announced its intention to return, will contribute to the quest for a peaceful solution. It is in this light that we welcome the Resolution 1718 and the legal process to translate the operative sections of the said Resolution into guidelines for implementation for our authorities has already started.

Turkey, as a partner in the Proliferation Security Initiative, believes in the essential value of international cooperation to cope with the challenge presented by the proliferation of WMD and is ready to take part in efforts to reduce this threat. In that respect, we are ready to hear the views of the United States on further initiatives for mechanisms such as those related to information sharing and regional radiation detection architecture, as mentioned in your letter.

I am ready to remain in touch and fully cooperate with you on this matter as before.

Sincerely,

Rafet Akgunay Deputy Undersecretary

End Text.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON