Testimony of Francis J. Ricciardone
Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey
July 20, 2010
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee,
I am honored to appear before you today as President Obama’s nominee to
serve as ambassador to the Republic of Turkey. I am grateful to President Obama
and Secretary Clinton for their trust and confidence in me. With me today is my
wife Marie, who both studied and taught in Turkish universities, and our daughter
Francesca, who was born in Turkey. Our daughter Chiara, who went to school in
Ankara for three years with her sister, is unable to join us today. Also joining us
from Massachusetts today are my father, Francis Ricciardone, Sr., a Seabee veteran
of World War II, my niece Sophie Stone, and my brother-in-law Dr. David Stone.
During my 32-year career in the Foreign Service, I have had the pleasure of
serving three times in Turkey, most recently as the Deputy Chief of Mission from
1995 to 1999. Through more than three decades I have observed Turkey’s
continuing transformation into a more democratic, more open, and more
economically vibrant, modern state and a player with growing influence on the
world stage. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and your
colleagues, as well as the many private American organizations with a strong
interest in Turkey and its regions to advance United States interests in this
critically important and complex relationship.
Turkey remains as ever a key ally and strategic partner of the United States
and an important member of the NATO alliance. It is also a member of the G-20
with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and it is currently a
member of the UN Security Council. Noting Turkey’s history as a majority
Muslim nation and as a secular democratic state that respects the rule of law,
President Obama has cited Turkey’s “critical role in helping to shape mutual
understanding and stability not only in its neighborhood, but around the world.” If
confirmed as ambassador, I will do everything possible to reinforce Turkish-
American cooperation in support of our common goals.
For decades Turkey and the United States have cooperated intensively to
promote regional stability through many specific areas of collaboration, including
countering terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
resolving regional conflicts; promoting energy security; expanding trade,
investment, and economic development; and, essential and integral to all of these,
strengthening democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Several such strategic
priorities merge in cases of particularly immediate consequence, including in Iraq
and Afghanistan, the quest for peace between Israel and all its neighbors, and
Iran’s evident pursuit of nuclear weapons On these last two, we have had
concerns, especially our disappointment on Turkey’s vote against UNSCR 1929
and in the deterioration of Turkey’s relations with Israel. Other conflicts with
historical antecedents require no less sustained and intensive joint attention and
cooperation, including the unresolved issues of Cyprus and normalization of
relations with Armenia.
Let me describe Turkey’s role in relation to our foreign policy priorities. If
confirmed, my responsibility will be to strengthen Turkey’s cooperation with us in
all of these areas, notwithstanding the differing perspectives and independent
sovereign interests of each of our countries.
Turkey recognizes that our success or failure in Iraq will directly impact its
own domestic and economic security. The Turkish government has contributed
very meaningfully to stabilizing Iraq through its high-level strategic dialogue with
the Government of Iraq and its dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional
Government. Turkey also is contributing to Iraq’s progress, by hosting regional
meetings on political and economic cooperation, and through trade and investment
that promote Iraq’s reconstruction and help develop Iraq’s oil and electricity
infrastructure.
Our military ties with Turkey remain vital to both the United States and
Turkey. Turkey is a crucial logistics hub, supporting U.S. forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Over 70 percent of the air cargo for our mission in Iraq transits
Incirlik Air Base, which is also the primary refueling stop for flights to
Afghanistan. Turkey provides blanket clearance for U.S. aircraft supporting these
operations and authorizes the use of its bases and ports to support humanitarian and
reconstruction operations in Iraq. The Habur Gate border crossing also serves as a
key line of communication to Iraq; through it, 25 percent of our fuel and 40 percent
of other sustainment requirements enter Iraq. There are more than 1,700 U.S.
military personnel stationed in Turkey. Turkey has a long tradition of hospitality
to our service men and women, including hosting the USS Eisenhower in early
July.
Turkey is one of our strongest partners in the fight against international
terrorism. Turkey and the United States are working together to fight the regional
transit and support of international terrorists.
We are aligned with Turkey’s foremost security objective of defeating the
PKK, a group which has led to the deaths of over 30,000 Turks since the 1980s.
For our part, the United States supports Turkey’s operations against the PKK; we
cooperate with EU partners to cut off PKK facilitation efforts in Europe; and we
support the growing cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, including the Kurdistan
Regional Government. Turkey’s leaders also recognize the need for political,
economic and cultural measures to counter PKK terrorism. Turkey’s “National
Unity Project” aims to improve the human rights and economic situation for Kurds
and other communities or vulnerable groups in Turkey. We believe that further
pursuit of this initiative can help not only to undermine the PKK, but also
to advance and to strengthen Turkish democracy and the human rights of all
Turks.
From my tenure as Deputy Ambassador in Kabul, I can attest that Turkey
has also been an essential partner in Afghanistan, where it has long-standing
cultural and historical ties and has been a leading proponent of Afghanistan’s
unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Turkey shares our goal of a stable,
Afghanistan that can protect itself from al-Qa’eda and any other terrorists who
would use that country as a base for international terrorist attacks. Turkey has
1,700 troops serving in the the International Security Assistance Force, commands
the Regional Command for Kabul, and will soon send still more civilian
humanitarian relief and development assistance experts to establish its second PRT
in Jowzjan Province. It is also a leader on training the Afghan National Security
Forces, responding positively to requests from ISAF and the Afghan Ministry of
Interior for additional trainers. Turkey has pledged to train a brigade’s worth of
Afghan National Army troops and 1,500 Afghan National Police this year. Turkey
has also pledged $300 million for development projects in Afghanistan, built
schools and clinics, and invested in the repair or construction of bridges and roads
and the drilling of new wells, and facilitated economic development through
support to the agriculture, marble and carpet sectors. In addition to our
cooperation with Turkey through NATO/ISAF and our two Embassies on the
ground in Kabul, we coordinate closely through regular bilateral meetings led on
our side by Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard
Holbrooke. In support of cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkey
hosted four trilateral summits in Turkey with the participation of both Afghan and
Pakistani presidents.
Turkey and Israel are both important partners of the United States. The two
countries have shared vital political, economic, security, and military ties for many
years. The increasing strains in their relations, particularly since the Gaza flotilla
incident, risk setting back the vitally important interests of both those countries,
and of the United States, in regional peace and stability. Therefore we have
underscored to both countries the importance to them and to us of their mutually
beneficial relationship.
On Iran, we work with Turkey both bilaterally and as a member of the UN
Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of
Governors. As a neighbor, Turkey shares a long border and history with Iran.
Turkey has said that it shares the international community’s concerns about the
prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran, and recently has again reaffirmed its absolute
commitment to upholding UN Security Council resolutions in this regard. But we
have not always agreed on tactics regarding Iran, particularly with regard to
sanctions. We were disappointed that Turkey, our ally and partner, chose not to
stand with its NATO allies in supporting UN Security Council Resolution
1929. While we acknowledge Turkey and Brazil’s efforts to reach an agreement
with Iran on transferring low-enriched uranium (LEU) to Turkey, we have
explained to Turkey that the Tehran Research Reactor initiative was intended to be
a confidence building measure, not a substitute for Iran living up to its
international obligations and UN Security Council requirements. Our message has
been, and continues to be, that the IAEA channel between Iran and the P5+1 is the
only channel for action and that the fate of the Tehran Research Reactor proposal
remains secondary overall to the more important goal of preventing the
advancement of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. As Ambassador, I will
continue to emphasize that the United States needs Turkey’s help for Iran to
understand that it must engage directly with the IAEA and P5+1 on the
international community’s concerns about its nuclear program.
The United States continues its long-standing support for Turkey’s
aspirations to join the European Union. The prospect of EU accession has been a
strong impetus for Turkish reform. Over the past few years, Turkey has
implemented meaningful political and economic reforms necessary for EU
membership, but more needs to be done. Turks themselves are demanding further
progress on promoting human rights and the rule of law, including such particular
rights as freedom of the media. We are particularly interested to see Turkey shine,
as a protector of religious freedom. There could be no more powerful modern
testimony to Turkey’s historic legacy of religious tolerance than reopening the
Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Halki Seminary. As Secretary Clinton has said, we have
repeatedly and publicly called for the reopening of Halki Seminary and protecting
the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and will continue to do so until this is
addressed. If confirmed, I look forward to paying my respects to His All Holiness
Bartholomew, more than 10 years since I last had that honor.
The division of Cyprus has gone on far too long. The United States
encourages the negotiations between the two communities under the auspices of
the UN Secretary General, and we urge the leaders of the two communities to seize
this opportunity to negotiate a settlement that reunifies the island into a bizonal,
bicommunal federation. Turkey and Greece can play a constructive role in helping
the Cypriot parties toward a lasting solution to their differences. The Government
of Turkey has made clear its support for this process, including recently as Mr.
Eroglu assumed leadership of the Turkish Cypriot community.
Facilitating regional integration is a high priority for the United States.
Rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia will foster increased stability and
prosperity in the entire Caucasus region. As President Obama noted in his
Armenian Remembrance Day statement of April 24th, “Together, the Turkish and
Armenian people will be stronger as they acknowledge their common history and
recognize their common humanity.” We commended the governments of Turkey
and Armenia on their signing of the historic protocols on normalization of relations
on October 10, 2009 in Zurich. Both countries publicly reiterated their
commitment to normalization this spring. The United States will continue to urge
Turkey to ratify the protocols, and we will support programs that build
understanding between Turks and Armenians.
The President and Secretary Clinton have established economic cooperation
with Turkey as a strategic priority, and have emphasized the importance of
supporting American firms and promoting U.S. –Turkish trade and investment.
During President Obama’s April 2009 meeting with Turkish President Gul, the two
leaders agreed to elevate our economic relations to the level of our already strong
political and military relations. To follow through on this commitment, the U.S.
and Turkey launched a new Cabinet-level dialogue – the Framework for Strategic
Economic and Commercial Cooperation — during Prime Minister Erdogan’s visit
to Washington last December. In addition to our official dialogues, we are also
launching a public-private sector U.S.-Turkey Business Council to advise the U.S.
and Turkish governments on strategies for increasing trade and relationships,
improving the business climate, and eliminating impediments to trade and
investment. Turkey is a leading focus in the President’s New Export Initiative to
double U.S. exports globally in five years.
Building on our close cooperation in the 1990s that helped make BakuTbilisi-
Ceyhan (BTC) a reality, the U.S. and Turkey are working together to bring
Caspian gas to European markets for the first time through a new route called the
“Southern Corridor.” We welcome the June 7 agreement signed by Turkey and
Azerbaijan on the gas purchase and transit of Azerbaijani gas to Turkey. This
agreement is an important milestone in laying the foundation for the Southern
Corridor. This corridor could include the Nabucco pipeline, the Turkey-Greece-
Italy Interconnector (ITGI), or the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Turkey would
play an integral transit role in all three pipelines. The corridor would provide
commercial benefit for the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia and also
create a long-term partnership based on mutual interests with Europe. Overseeing
the safe passage of oil through the Bosporus Straits and the transport of oil through
the BTC pipeline, which pumps nearly a million barrels of oil a day to the Turkish
port of Ceyhan, Turkey plays an important role in world energy markets.
Many Americans, including my family and I, have had wonderful
experiences living and working in Turkey. It would be a special privilege to return
to Ankara to strengthen the communications and friendship between our two
peoples in all fields of private as well as official endeavors, including the fields of
education, science, and health – in which my wife has practiced while on previous
service in Turkey. Led by this committee, the Senate has formally recognized the
importance of public diplomacy. Increasing contacts and communications between
Americans and Turks must be a primary means of advancing our interests on all
issues we face today. If confirmed for this post, I pledge that all members of U.S.
Mission Turkey will warmly welcome the advice and support of the American
people, both through our elected representatives and through direct and continuous
contact and communication. In particular, I would pledge the highest standards of
service to the American community and American travelers, whether for business
or any purpose.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, if confirmed as ambassador,
in my service in Ankara as in my past service at other posts, I will trust to your
help and advice, and that of your colleagues. I look forward to working with you.