US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5191

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005191 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR A/S JONES AND NEA A/S BURNS. NSC FOR BRYZA. 
OSD FOR ISA AND ISP. EUCOM FOR J5, J2, POLAD. CENTCOM FOR 
J5, POLAD. 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, PTER, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TURKS IN GEAR TO DECIDE ON STABILIZATION FORCE 
CONTRIBUTION BY SEPTEMBER 15 
 
 
REF: OZKOK-JONES LETTER AUG 7 
 
 
(U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires ad interim Robert 
Deutsch.  Reason:  1.5 (B and D). 
 
 
1. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
 
2. (S) DG for Mideast Affairs Burcuoglu met with Charge 
d'Affaires August 14 to lay out additional steps the GOT 
envisions towards obtaining parliamentary approval for a 
Turkish contribution to the Iraq stabilization force by 
September 15.  He noted that three delegations planned to 
travel to Iraq to assess the risks associated with a 
deployment and get in touch with the local population. 
 
 
-- The first delegation would be composed of six people from 
MIT, TGS and possibly MFA plus two drivers.  They tentatively 
planned to drive from Turkey to Baghdad on Friday, August 22 
and begin their work the next day.  A car from the Turkish 
embassy in Baghdad would meet the del at the border and guide 
the convoy back to Baghdad.  Full details would be 
forthcoming as soon as the plan is finalized. 
 
 
-- The second delegation would be composed of members of 
Parliament and possibly some academics.  No date had been set. 
 
 
-- The third delegation would be high-level, certainly at the 
ambassadorial level, possibly led by MFA U/S Ziyal. 
 
 
3. (S) Burcuoglu noted that while details were yet to be 
worked out, the GOT was eyeing a strict September 15 deadline 
for obtaining parliamentary approval for deployment and thus 
all these activities would occur in time to meet that 
deadline. In addition, FM Gul planned to travel to 
neighboring countries and Europe to explain Turkey's rational 
for participating in the force.  Burcuoglu noted that the GOT 
would need to explain its situation as a neighboring country 
particularly to France and Germany and would do so during 
previously scheduled visits such as PM Erdogan's visit to 
Germany Sept. 2 and FM Gul's trip to Italy for an EU informal 
FM meeting (including candidates) Sept. 5-6.  These visits 
were in addition, Burcuoglu said, to the expected responses 
and further work in military channels.  Charge said he hoped 
that answers to Ozkok's questions (ref A) would be 
forthcoming shortly.  Burcuoglu responded that information 
about the location of the Turkish sector would be important 
so that the delegations could feel out the populations in 
that area.  In response to our comment that the answer to 
some questions would depend on Turkish plans for numbers, 
Burcuoglu said they were talking about one full brigade, 
parts of a second and a division headquarters, with the 
division filled out by other contributors.  An MFA deskoff 
told polmiloff separately that FM Gul had telephoned the 
owners of all the major newspapers in Turkey to explain that 
a deployment was in Turkey's interest and should not be cast 
just as a favor to the US. 
 
 
4. (S) Burcuoglu then told Charge that Iraqi Governing 
Council Representative Songul Cabuk had visited Ankara August 
13 and proposed that five members of the GC make a visit to 
Ankara before the end of August.  Burcuoglu said Turkey would 
enthusiastically welcome such a visit.  While the composition 
was clearly a GC decision, Burcuoglu said, a delegation 
composed of Cabuk, the current Chairman, and the three 
members who accompanied UN Iraq Envoy de Mello to New York 
would be the most effective here.  He noted however that "PKK 
sympathizer" GC member Mahmoud Othman should not be part of 
the delegation. 
 
 
5. (S) Turning to two issues of less importance, Burcuoglu 
raised the Iraqi budget.  He said that he himself had 
expressed concern to CPA Administrator Bremer in Washington 
about the Kurds having a separate budget.  Bremer adamantly 
denied that this was the case.  Nevertheless, MFA found on 
CPA's website that the budget is divided among ministries, 
except for the Kurdish regions, which is partitioned out. For 
example, on page 3 of the 2003 budget, it says, "Each Iraqi 
Ministry and Kurd region prepared a budget with their 
Coalition Senior Advisor."  Burcuoglu noted that the budgets 
for Kurdish regions were higher than the budget for Baghdad 
which was 30 percent more populous. 
 
 
6. (S)  Finally Burcuoglu noted with pleasure that a border 
gate staffed with Iraqi customs officials had been opened on 
the Kuwaiti border.  He urged the US to provide the same 
customs support on the Turkish border, which is currently 
being manned by the KDP. 
7. (S) Comment: It is clear the Turks are now taking steps to 
persuade the Parliament and the Turkish public that 
participation is in Turkey's interest. We should encourage 
these proactive activities by supporting their visits to Iraq 
and urging the GC delegation to say the right things in 
support of Turkish participation when it comes to Ankara. 
DEUTSCH