AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS AND PUBLIC EVENTS

Ambassador Ross Wilson Lunch Roundtable  with Journalists

Diyarbakir, May 27, 2006

QUESTION:  Let us ask first then what did you do during these two days?  How did you find the southeast?  Did you see what you had expected? 

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  I had a very interesting set of meetings, as I do wherever I go.  I try to meet with the governors, with the mayors, with some of the other political leaders, with some of the business leaders, with academics.  I had all of those discussions over the course of the last two days.  In addition, we got around a little bit to see the city walls, some of the historic sites here.  And I got a sense from the center of the city about some of the historical restoration that is going on, and what is clearly a very lively market.  I don’t want to get too far into the specifics of my conversations, but I think I got a good picture that is very helpful to me of some of the complexities of this part of Turkey -- in particular some of the political problems, some of the economic problems, and social problems.  We had some conversations about efforts that are underway either by the authorities in Ankara or locally to try to work on some of those issues and develop some greater opportunities for the people here and the region around Diyarbakir. 

QUESTION:  The US has an image problem in Turkey.  We guess that in your difficult assignment you will be trying to eliminate this image problem.  The establishment of a Kurdish authority in northern Iraq, and the ethnic structure of Kurds in Iran and the Kurdish population in Turkey makes improving the image of the United States in Turkey more difficult.  I get the feeling that your trip aims to find out whether there are some expectations regarding the Kurds in determining your policies.  Do I understand this correctly?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  A big part of my job is to try to explain American policy in the region, and to discuss American policies in the region and in the world with the people of this country.  That’s what I do in Ankara.  That’s what I try to do by going outside of Ankara to talk with people here, to talk with people in Adana, to talk with people in Antalya, in Istanbul and so forth.  The way I would define my purpose here is to look, to listen, and to learn about southeastern Turkey, the problems and the challenges that it faces, how problems are seen here, and what kinds of opportunities there may be to deal with those issues in the future.  To put a point on it, this is not an ethnic trip.  This is a trip to an important part of Turkey, one of many that I will make to many important parts of Turkey.

QUESTION:  I have three questions.  How do you see the southeast from Ankara, and has your view changed after coming here?  Secondly, what did you find out as the most important problem of the southeast after seeing the region?  Thirdly, all US ambassadors who have served in Turkey have been promoted to very important positions when they have gone back to the States.  What kind of professional future is waiting for you, Mr. Ambassador?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  On the last one, since I just arrived I am not too focused on my next assignment.  On the first question, I guess the best answer is that I have more of a sense of the texture and the character of the specific political, economic and social conditions and issues here than I had before I came.  On what is the most important problem, I don’t look at the problems here or the problems anywhere else in the world in that way.  There is a complex of issues that seem to me exist in this part of Turkey as in other parts of Turkey.  And here the complex seems to include some serious security issues, some serious issues of economic development and employment opportunities for people, and the same kind of issues in developing Turkey’s democratic institutions that exist throughout the country.  One additional point I would make is that my understanding of some of how some of these matters function in this part of country helps me to better understand what is the national texture of political and economic and social reform in Turkey. 

QUESTION:  In previous years, US policies toward the region and towards the Kurds were not regarded as dynamic policies -- at least that is how it was perceived from this region.  However, after the apprehension of Ocalan and after the Iraq war, the rhetoric of the United States toward the region has changed.  Has the United States changed its policies regarding the Kurdish problem in the Middle East?  I mean, have the actors changed?  And also, recently there were some incidents in Diyarbakir.  How do you evaluate those incidents?  This was unprecedented in Turkey’s history.  The incidents continued for five days and the city was in the hands of the demonstrators for three days.

AMBASSADOR:  I think the most important starting point is that we recognize that Turkey is a very diverse and a very rich society.  It is a country that, like most countries in the world, faces many different challenges and many different issues that has to deal with as it copes with modernization and development and change in a globalized world.  With respect to the southeast, clearly Turkey has some important issues in all those fields, especially with respect to economic development, unemployment, and some social issues and political issues as well.  Those issues fundamentally are matters for the citizens of Turkey to work out.  Because they are related to the success of Turkey, we are interested in them, and we are interested in doing what we can to support the right kinds of development here.  The fact that Turkey finds itself in a difficult and complicated part of the world, given all of the turbulence that has taken place in Iraq over the last several years, continued instability in the Middle East, instability and big question marks about Iran, instability in the Caucasus, the success here of Turkey in dealing with its problems will help the region as a whole in dealing with its problems.  Maybe to conclude the point, I will repeat something I said earlier talking about my trip.  The United States does not have an ethnic policy here.  We have policies that are oriented toward Turkey, which is a long time friend and ally of the United States that we strongly support.  And my colleagues in Iraq, in Syria, and if I had colleagues in Iran, their jobs are to worry about the issues in their countries. 

QUESTION:  You said that you started to understand the economic, social, and political texture in the region much better during your trip.  According to you, Mr. Ambassador, what is the basic, real reason for these problems?  Are they economic or political?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  Yes.  You can’t separate economics, politics and society or social concerns.  They are all connected.  That’s about the best I can do.  One more?

QUESTION:  I would like to ask you a question about Turkish-US relations.  The US is saying that Turkey is a very good friend, that it is a very good ally.  However, when it comes to implementation, we observe that the United States has not fulfilled any of its promises in fields such as the fight against terrorism or Cyprus.  And when we look at the issue from the perspective of the United States, subconsciously there is disappointment towards Turkey because of the March 1 motion.  Although it is said that bilateral relations are really good, under the surface there is a cold attitude or approach.  We observe that there is diplomatic language saying that relations are good, but under the surface, there is a lack of confidence.  What is your observation in this regard?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  You are entitled to your opinion.  It is not mine.  I think the state of our relationship is a good and a strong one.  Secretary Rice reflected that when she was here three or four weeks ago.  I think that is reflected in growing bilateral trade.  It is reflected in our cooperation together in Iraq and on Afghanistan.  It is reflected in the close consultations that we have had, and in the similar views that we have, on important issues ranging from peace and stability in the Caucasus to energy development -- Turkey as an east-west corridor for Caspian energy -- and a variety of other fields.  Turkey is an extremely important partner of the United States and of many other countries in the fight against terrorism.  With respect to the PKK, we believe that we are doing a great deal to assist this country and the authorities of this country to deal with this terrorist problem.  Frankly speaking, if you look at the record, you will find no country is doing more for and with Turkey on the PKK problem than the United States.  I have said several times that I am not fully satisfied with the work that we are doing on the PKK.  Secretary Rice when she was here talked about redoubling our efforts on the PKK following the formation of a government of national unity in Iraq that we and Turkey can work effectively together with on this problem.  On Cyprus, we are working hard with the Government of Turkey, with the United Nations, with the authorities in Greece, and the Greek Cypriot authorities to try to move effectively toward a negotiated settlement of the problem.  Obviously, we have not been as successful as we would like over a number of years.  There are a variety of reasons for that.  The fact that we all say that we want the same thing -- a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation -- gives me some hope and encouragement that we can find a solution that is acceptable to both sides of the island.  So I think our relationship is good.  Of course, there are areas we need to work on.  Of course, there are opportunities for us to work better and more effectively in pursuit of our common interests.  That’s sort of what my job is. 

QUESTION:  In the past in Diyarbakir and Batman the United States used the airports a lot as bases.  Afterward, when northern Iraq opened up, these bases became nonfunctional.  Are you considering making these bases functional again in your future plans?

AMBASSADOR WILSON:  We have no plans for additional military facilities in Turkey beyond those that we have at Incirlik.