US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5271

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005271 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE, NEA 
NSC FOR BRYZA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TURKISH AID DELEGATION PLANS TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ 
AUGUST 21: ACTION REQUEST 
 
 
(U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request -- see para 4. 
 
 
2.  (SBU) The Foreign Ministry advised us late August 19 that 
a delegation including Turkish parliamentarians, Ministry of 
Public Works officials, the Turkish Red Crescent, and private 
sector representatives plans to travel by vehicle to Iraq 
August 21, en route to Baghdad and then Kirkuk to discuss 
plans to build hospitals in each city.  The Ministry said the 
Turkish Embassy in Baghdad had already contacted CPA 
authorities about the delegation, but requested -- via both a 
phone call and a diplomatic note (text in para 5) -- Embassy 
Ankara's assistance in obtaining CPA clearance. Embassy 
advised MFA that we would pass on the information to the 
Department and CPA, but that 36-hours' notice was 
insufficient to ensure the information would get to all 
relevant players. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Embassy noted that, per the non-paper given to FM 
Gul during his recent visit to Washington, the urgent need in 
the health arena was refurbishment of existing hospitals, 
along with provision of medicines. The Foreign Ministry said 
the Iraqi Red Crescent agreed on the need to construct new 
hospitals, but in any case the delegation planned to meet 
with U.S. and Iraqi advisors to the Health Ministry to 
discuss their plans during this trip. 
 
 
4.  (SBU) Action Request:  Embassy requests Department and 
CPA confirm that CPA can support this visit, and that units 
along the route be informed of the delegation's travel for 
security purposes. 
 
 
5.  (U) Begin Text of MFA Diplomatic Note: 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America and has the honour to inform that, within the 
framework of the humanitarian aid to Iraq by Turkey, a 
delegation consisting of two members of the Turkish Grand 
National Assembly, officials from the Ministry of Public 
Works, Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, and Turkish 
Red Crescent as well as businessmen from private sector are 
planning to visit Iraq on August 21, 2003 in the context of 
the project for construction of two hospitals in this country 
by Turkey. 
 
 
ID particulars of the delegation members are as follows: 
 
 
Turan Comez, Member of Parliament (passport information to be 
provided) 
Cevdet Erdol, Member of Parliament, Born:  Surmene-Trabzon, 
1958, diplomatic passport 
 
 
Ministry of Public Works 
------------------------ 
Davut Akgul, Engineer 
Born:  Ispir, March 5, 1958, Passport Number TR-B 023971 
 
 
Yunus Alper Altay, Architect 
Born:  Ankara, January 15, 1976, Passport Number TR-A 168287 
 
 
Turkish Radio and Television Corporation 
---------------------------------------- 
Gokhan Sunal, Journalist 
Born:  Ankara, March 24, 1970, Passport Number TR-A 101232 
 
 
Cenk Gultasli, Cameraman 
Born:  Ankara, February 23, 1969 
 
 
Turkish Red Crescent Society 
---------------------------- 
Ass. Prof. Serdar Hepgul, Deputy Director General 
Born:  Istanbul, June 7, 1959, Passport Number TR-A 054808 
 
 
Omer Tasli, Director for Emergency 
Born:  Duzce, January 2, 1962, Passport Number 094432 
 
 
Kaan Saner, Expert 
Born:  Ankara, April 5, 1974, Passport No. TR-A 106729 
 
 
Hasan Demirel, Driver 
Born:  Fevziye, December 5, 1957, Passport No to be notified 
later 
Fikret Ataseven, Driver 
Born:  Duzce, June 7, 1965, Passport No. TR-A 145525 
 
 
Mustafa Karakas, Driver 
Born:  Rize, May 1, 1965, Passport No. TR-A 157494 
 
 
Businessmen 
----------- 
Mustafa Aridasir 
Born:  Adana, February 13, 1955, Passport No. TR-A 866223 
 
 
Mustafa Kaan 
Born: Pinarbasi-Kayseri, March 10, 1971, Passport No TR-N 
979943 
 
 
Ozgur Bulent Caglayan 
Born: Ankara, March 15, 1975, Passport No. TR-J 241258 
 
 
Bahadir Kayan 
Born:  Basgoze-Konya, September 20, 1967, Passport No 
Y)-662622 (Austrian) 
 
 
Adem Akin 
Born:  Kirikhan, December 23, 1951, Passport No. TR-B 085045 
 
 
Ozan Ziglan 
Born: Uskudar, October 31, 1973, Passport No. 671361 
 
 
Ozkul Mehmet Toroglu 
Born: Mersin, March 30, 1979, Passport No. TR-N 885792 
 
 
Plate Numbers of Vehicles 
------------------------- 
 
 
34 AS 5942      Opel Frontera Jeep 
06 FFM 30       Nissan Patrol Jeep 
35 ZK 9690      Toyota Jeep 
35 ZK 9753      Toyota Hiace Minibus 
06 RID 47       Fiat Marea 
 
 
The relevant American and Iraqi authorities are being 
informed of this visit by the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad. 
Assistance of the esteemed Embassy to facilitate the 
aforementioned visit to Iraq will be highly appreciated.  The 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey avails 
itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the 
United States of America the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
 
End text of diplomatic note. 
 
 
EDELMAN