Statements by U.S. Officilas

Remarks By Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Following Meetings At The Foreign Ministry

April 4, 2006, Ankara

DAS BRYZA:  Nice to see you.  Thanks for being here.  I am having a wonderful visit with old friends and new friends -- very constructive discussions that build our strategic partnership -- here at the Foreign Ministry today.  We have talked about all aspects of our relationship.  We have talked about the US’ undying support for Turkey’s EU accession, strategized and brainstormed about Cyprus, talked about Iraq and our commitment to eliminate the PKK terrorist threat both in Iraq and in Europe, talked about democracy in the Broader Middle East, and talked a bit about the Black Sea region and our cooperation there, and our desire to enhance democratic reform around the Black Sea and to build real security cooperation that involves all the states of the Black Sea – Russia and Ukraine, but especially Georgia, Romania and Bulgaria.  And then we have been talking about ways to add real meaning to the concept of partnership that goes beyond international issues, but really focuses on economic cooperation between our two countries, people-to-people contacts, academic exchanges, and expanding our trade relations.  So it’s a broad agenda with a partner that has more shared interests with us than most of the other countries I deal with.  So thank you, and I’ll be happy to take any questions you might have. 

QUESTION:  Can we begin with the Cyprus issue?

DAS BRYZA:  Yes.

QUESTION:  What is your expectation for the near future about Cyprus?  Might we see from the US any movement with respect to the end of the isolation in northern Cyprus?

DAS BRYZA:  We are fully committed to do everything possible to eliminate the economic isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.  That is for two reasons.  One is because it is fair.  The Turkish Cypriots have demonstrated their commitment to a settlement, and the reason that they were isolated in the past was because people thought they were not in favor of a settlement.  Secondly, we are in favor of their de-isolation because we believe that if we are able to work together to lift the economic well-being and development of Turkish Cypriots, it is much easier to reunify the island.  So our quest is for full reunification.  What is next?  Well, the same thing that’s been next for a while.  The Secretary General of the United Nations is in charge of the negotiations.  We will support any measures he takes, and any process he is ready to undertake.  The next step is for the two sides to demonstrate their good will to the point that he is ready to reengage.  We have been waiting for a long time.  The Turkish Cypriot side has demonstrated its good will already by virtue of the Annan Plan vote, and we have been waiting for the Secretary General to feel that the Greek Cypriot side is ready to engage.  It is up to the Greek Cypriot side to convince the Secretary General that they are ready to reengage and talks in a comprehensive settlement. 

QUESTION:  Mr. Bryza, Turkey is under great pressure from the Greek Cypriot side to open its ports and airports.  And the EU Enlargement Commissioner has already made a statement suggesting that Turkey is leading to a train crash on this subject.  Do you see this as a risk for Turkey in its EU relationship, and how can Turkey deal with this?

DAS BRYZA:  I have spent a lot of time in Brussels and in other European capitals over the course of last few weeks and months, where I have tried to make the point that it is important for our European friends to help Turkey enable itself to fulfill its obligation to open its ports.  The fact of the matter is that Turkey did make an obligation last October 3 to open its ports.  Turkey did that freely under its own accord.  No one compelled it to do so.  So Turkey eventually needs to fulfill that obligation as EU accession talks proceed.  But if Europe really wants Turkey to be a member, which we assume it does, it can help Turkey fulfill its obligation.  It can be practical and smart.  Foreign Minister Gul made a proposal in January -- a comprehensive proposal for reopening ports.  I would argue that the EU can help us get to a situation where that proposal can be implemented.  We have been discussing here today how that might happen, and I have discussed many times in Brussels how the EU could help Turkey get to that point of reopening its ports.  That requires some progress with regard to de-isolating the Turkish Cypriots as well.  So if we can get the European Union side to continue working in that direction, then there need not be any train wreck at all.

QUESTION:  Mr. Bryza, Turkey holds Roj TV responsible for the latest events in Diyarbakir and the southeast.  In this respect, do you think the US’ struggle against the presence of the PKK in Europe has been successful? 

DAS BRYZA:  I hope so.  I think it is successful.  Whether it is enough – well, it is never enough until the PKK terrorist threat is eliminated, right?  That’s enough.  But we have done a lot.  We are grateful for (inaudible).  Make no mistake, we condemn Roj-TV, and what we believe is incitement.  I am not talking about the latest case, because I haven’t seen what statements came out on Roj-TV.  I have been traveling.  But in general we believe it should be closed.  We continue to do everything we can with our European allies to close down the support mechanisms and the operations of the PKK in Europe.  I think we are having an impact in Europe.  Yes, I do.  I can feel the mode changing there. 

QUESTION:  With respect to the latest events in Diyarbakir and southeast Turkey, do you see any connection of these events to events in Iraq?  How do you see the increase in terrorism in Turkey?

DAS BRYZA:  I don’t know.  One would have to do a lot of research about the movement of terrorists to determine that.  All I can say is that we are fully committed to eliminating the PKK terrorist threat in Iraq.  We are working well with your government here on information sharing regarding the nature of the movements of terrorists.  The key, I think ultimately, to resolving the PKK problem in Iraq is to work with an Iraqi Government once one exists.  The US and Turkey share a commitment to an Iraq that’s whole, that’s unified.  One Iraq.  For Iraq to be unified, its government in Baghdad has to be sovereign.  Once the Government in Baghdad is sovereign, we have to work directly through it to access the PKK problem.  Thanks very much for being here today.  Thank you.