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Viewing cable 10ANKARA304, TURKEY: PRESIDENT, PM, AND CHOD MEET IN EFFORT TO

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10ANKARA304 2010-02-25 15:14 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXRO3268
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHAK #0304/01 0561514
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251514Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2250
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 1582
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 7052
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000304 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: PRESIDENT, PM, AND CHOD MEET IN EFFORT TO 
REDUCE TENSIONS 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 300 
     B. ANKARA 294 
     C. ANKARA 288 
 
ANKARA 00000304  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: President Gul, PM Erdogan, and CHOD Basbug 
met on February 25 in an effort to dispel tensions resulting 
from the February 22 detention of scores of active duty and 
retired military officials, including the former deputy CHOD 
and retired force commanders (refs a and b).  Deputy PM Cicek 
disclosed to the media some of the atmospherics of his 
February 22 meeting at the Turkish General Staff.  He 
dismissed rumors of the generals planning to resign en masse 
or threatening a coup and said the generals instead informed 
Cicek in advance of their extraordinary February 23 meeting 
and expressed their regret about the detentions.  Cicek 
stressed that the government and the army are "on the same 
team" and that "the crisis will be overcome."  According to 
media reports, former deputy CHOD Ergin Saygin, former Naval 
Forces Commander Ozden Ornek, and former Air Force Commander 
Ibrahim Firtina will be questioned today by the chief 
prosecutor.  Retired VADM Ogutcu was formally arrested today 
together with four other military officers, including two 
active duty officers.  The Istanbul Stock Market has fallen 7 
percent since February 23, and financial analysts attribute 
this to rising political uncertainty resulting from the 
crisis in the judiciary and rising tensions following the 
wave of military detentions.  End Summary. 
 
"THREE-PARTY SUMMIT" 
-------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) In an apparent effort to reduce tensions following 
the wave of arrests and detentions targeting senior retired 
and active duty officers, President Gul met with PM Erdogan 
and military chief General Basbug on February 25.  The 
meeting, which included lunch, lasted for three hours.  The 
President's office issued a short statement after the 
meeting: "In the meeting issues that have been debated in the 
public over the last couple of days were examined.  In this 
regard, our citizens should rest assured that the issues on 
the agenda will be solved in accordance with constitutional 
order and our law."  Press quoted PM Erdogan as stating the 
meeting went well. 
 
DEPUTY PM CICEK: MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT ON SAME TEAM 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
3. (SBU) According to daily "Hurriyet," Deputy PM Cicek 
provided the press some details of his February 22 meeting at 
the Turkish General Staff (TGS) headquarters.  Cicek made 
clear that he took the initiative to go to the TGS and met 
with Deputy CHOD Aslan Guner for almost two hours, and also 
spoke with CHOD Basbug.  Cicek rejected media speculation 
that the generals threatened to resign en mass or to conduct 
a coup, saying that he did not detect any hints of a move by 
the generals to resign in protest nor were there any 
indications of preparations for a military coup.  He stated 
that such speculation was insulting for both the military and 
the government.  The generals, instead, indicated their 
sadness over the arrests and expressed concerns about the 
need to do something to prevent "systematic attacks" against 
the military.  Cicek stressed to reporters that the 
government and the military are on the same team and that 
"the crisis will be overcome." 
 
MORE FORMALLY ARRESTED, COMMANDERS FACE QUESTIONING 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
4. (SBU) Multiple media sources reported that retired VADM 
Ali Feyyaz Ogutcu was formally arrested yesterday along with 
two other retired officers and two active duty officers. 
According to local press, 20 of those detained on February 22 
have now been formally arrested, 15 of which are active duty 
officers.  These include (in addition to ref A) Former 
Turkish Naval Forces Commander, Admiral (retired) Ozden 
Ornek, former Turkish Air Force Commander General (retired) 
Ibrahim Firtina, and former First Army Commander and former 
Deputy CHOD General (retired) Ergin Saygun reportedly will 
face questioning from the chief prosecutor today (February 
 
ANKARA 00000304  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
25).  Former First Army Commander Cetin Dogan reportedly will 
be questioned on February 26. 
 
BASBUG CANCELS TRIP TO EGYPT 
---------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) In response to the arrests of senior retired and 
active duty officers, Basbug has, according to media reports, 
 cancelled his counterpart visit to Egypt, a trip that had 
originally been postponed.  There are also reports that all 
generals have been ordered to stay in Ankara and to refrain 
from travel until further notice. 
 
MARKET FALLS DUE TO "SLEDGEHAMMER" ARRESTS 
------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) Milliyet newspaper noted that the Istanbul stock 
market has fallen 7 percent in three days.  Financial 
analysts attribute the drop to rising political uncertainty 
surrounding the crisis in the judiciary (ref b), mounting 
tensions related to the arrests of senior military personnel, 
the possibility of another closure case against the ruling 
Justice and Development Party (AKP) (although the Chief 
Prosecutor indicated February 24 that he is not pursuing a 
closure investigation now), and the possibility of early 
elections. 
Jeffrey 
 
           "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s 
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"