STATEMENTS BY U.S. OFFICIALS

Undersecretary of Defense Eric Edelman and Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ankara

October 12, 2007

Undersecretary Edelman: As we are coming out this evening - as I mentioned earlier on arrival - Ambassador Fried and I were asked to come to Ankara this evening by Secretaries Rice and Gates, with whom we were in Moscow, to meet with our colleagues here in the Turkish Government to express our regret at the action that was taken by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in voting HR 106, the resolution that came out of the Committee. They asked us to convey to our Turkish colleagues the determination of the Administration to continue to oppose this resolution and to try and prevent its passage. We had a good and constructive discussion in which our colleagues expressed the disappointment and the hurt of both the government of Turkey and the Turkish public at the action of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. We talked about the regional implications; we discussed some ideas that may be helpful in moving the discussion forward; and we had, I think, a very productive afternoon.  So, we are grateful that our colleagues were willing to see us on a Saturday on short notice at the end of Bayram; and we are pleased that we had this opportunity to have that kind of a discussion.  Ambassador Fried, would you like to add anything?

Assistant Secretary Fried: During the discussions we agreed how much the United States and Turkey share in a way of strategic objectives and common interests. We also understand that this resolution, HR 106, will do damage to our efforts to advance our ties if it passes; and we discussed our determination to - as on the part of the U.S. Administration - to keep fighting this resolution and our determination to work with Turkey and with our Turkish friends. It was, as Ambassador Edelman said, a productive set of discussions, one in which our concerns as well as our hopes were freely exchanged, and I’m very grateful to our Turkish hosts for their hospitality and their time on this Saturday at the end of Bayram.

Question: Mr. Ambassador, again such a resolution if accepted in the House of Representatives in the United States such reactions, such as the closure of Incirlik Airbase or some important reactions indeed are discussed in Ankara. What do you think about it?  What is your comment on this reaction? Is the alliance in danger?

Undersecretary Edelman: I think we understand it. People will react to this. We discussed the public reaction, the government’s reaction. I think we want to focus on the long-lasting, enduring, underlying interests that we share as two nations. We want to focus on them and try to, as we work through this difficult period and issue, keep a focus as well on those interests that we share and try to maintain our ability to work together on behalf of common goals. We are going to be very resolute in the Administration, in seeking to prevent the passage of this resolution in the House of Representatives.

Question:  Did you have any message that this reaction should be limited in order to protect the alliance?

Undersecretary Edelman:  We didn’t make any prescription about reactions. We tried to focus on the long-term, on the strategic nature of our relationship, the enduring nature of our relationship, the long record of accomplishment of our relationship in a variety of areas whether it was in the case of Turkey’s candidacy for the EU or in the North Atlantic Alliance, the role that we played together in the Cold War and its successful conclusion.  This is a relationship with a long and rich history of accomplishment and we tried to focus on the potential we have to accomplish even more things in the future.

Question: Did you touch on the cross border operation issue during your meetings, what is your comment on that?

Undersecretary Edelman: Our colleagues raised their concern, of course, about the incident in Sirnak. We share that concern. I’ll be going to Iraq later today; and I certainly will be conveying what we heard from our colleagues in my conversations with General Petreaus and Ambassador Crocker as well as with my Iraqi counterparts when I meet with them.

Question: Will you convey to them any message from Turkey?

Undersecretary Edelman: I think we will certainly convey the concerns that were expressed and the concern that the patience of the Turkish public is running out with regard to this issue - which was expressed to us - and that will certainly be conveyed.

Thank you.