US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5680

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005680 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, ETRD, ETTC, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: CONGESTION AT HABUR BORDER CROSSING REQUIRES 
ATTENTION - PROPOSAL FOR JOINT-TURKISH-IRAQI-US WORKING 
GROUP TO STREAMLINE PROCESSING OF TRAFFIC 
 
 
Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch.  Reasons 1.5 B and D. 
Recommendation at para 2. 
 
 
1. (C) Over the past week, Post has fielded multiple reports 
from a variety of sources, including the CPA and the Turkish 
MFA, about delays, extremely long lines, extensive searches 
and unhappy truckers on both sides of the Habur 
Bridge/Ibrahim Khalil border crossing between Iraq and 
Turkey.  Because the coalition uses this sole border crossing 
between the two countries to re-supply troops and to get 
urgently needed commodities like LPG and diesel fuel into 
Iraq, bottlenecks at the bridge are a serious source of 
concern and a strategic liability.  Short-term solutions have 
reduced lines and/or expedited trucks carrying urgently 
needed cargo, but these ad hoc solutions do not solve the 
fundamental problem of limited capacity and duplicative 
procedures on both sides of the border. Given the interest on 
both sides of the border and in the coalition to have goods 
flow as quickly as possible, the requirement on both sides to 
screen trucks for contraband and ensure proper documentation, 
and the likelihood that the volume will continue to increase 
over time, we believe a joint US-Turkish-Iraqi approach to a 
solution is required. 
 
 
2. (S) RECOMMENDATION: We recommend that a working group be 
convened at Habur/Ibrahim Khalil as soon as possible 
including experts from the Turkish and Iraqi sides, and reps 
from the CPA (including appropriate US Customs/border 
experts), US Mission Turkey and KBR, to discuss the 
possibilities for streamlining procedures and increasing 
capacity at the border crossing.  One idea is joint 
processing of each truck, so that the Iraqis and Turks 
inspect once, together, then allow the truck to pass, rather 
than inspecting once on each side of the border.  The details 
could be worked out by the working group.  Short of some 
mechanism like this, we will continue to face long lines, 
delays, and finger-pointing across the border in both 
directions about who is responsible for the delays. 
 
 
3. (U)  Baghdad minimize considered. 
EDELMAN