INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Wassenaar Membership Expansion

Published: Tue 14 Dec 2004 03:02 PM
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ANKARA 006942
SIPDIS
STATE FOR T, PM/DTC, NP/ECNP, PM/RSAT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KSTC PARM PREL PTER TU
SUBJECT: WASSENAAR MEMBERSHIP EXPANSION
REF: UNVIE 1007 (NOTAL)
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY
1. (SBU) EXBS advisor met with the new DDG for Arms Control
and Disarmament Bulent Meric (formerly the Disarmament
Department Head) and staff on December 13. Regarding the
Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary, Meric stated that Turkey
agrees with the U.S. that each country applying for
membership should be judged on it own merits -- what it can
contribute -- and not just because the applicant was a member
in some other non-related organization (such as the EU).
Meric requested information concerning the countries that are
applying for Wassenaar membership, which would allow the GOT
to better understand the U.S. position on each of the
applicants. This information would be very useful prior to
the upcoming silence procedure expected to begin next
February.
2. (SBU) Meric also stated that Turkey will most likely not
change its stance on the Cyprus application, unless new
information is provided concerning the benefit to the WA of
the inclusion of Cyprus. (Comment: In the run up to the
December 17 EU Summit, Turkey has come under increased
pressure from European capitals to drop opposition to Cypriot
membership in organizations like Wassenaar. How the EU
handles the Cyprus issue at the EU Summit may influence the
GOT's willingness to consider whether the GOC is able to
contribute meaningfully to the Wassenaar Arrangement work.)
EDELMAN
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