US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5920

UNCLAS ANKARA 005920 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AF, EAID, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY SUPPORTS U.S. EFFORT TO ACCELERATE 
ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN 
 
 
REF: SECSTATE 258067 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Turkey shares the U.S.goal to accelerate assitance 
to Afghanistan.  Turkey has already exceeded its original 
5-year pledge of $5 million and hopes to commit another USD 3 
million in 2004.  Ambassador Okcun, Turkey's Afghan 
Reconstruction Coordinator, will attend the September 21 
meeting in Dubai. 
 
 
2.  (U) Econoff spoke with MFA Coordinator for Afghan 
Reconstruction Ambassador Ahmet Okcun, who said that Turkey 
completely supports the U.S. effort to encourage donors to 
accelerate assistance for Afghanistan.  Okcun said that 
Turkey has repeatedly advocated increasing the tempo of 
assistance and has taken steps to increase its assistance to 
Afghanistan.  Turkey's original pledge was for USD 1 million 
per year for 5 years.  However, the government has 
significantly stepped up its contribution, disbursing USD 3 
million in 2002 and over USD 2 million by the end of this 
year.  Okcun added that he expects the GOT will approve an 
additional USD 3 million for Afghanistan in 2004. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Okcun expressed his concern that a combination of 
donor fatigue and the need to finance reconstruction in Iraq 
could reduce international support for Afghanistan.  Such a 
result would harm Afghanistan's chances for stability and 
democracy and severely undermine the credibility of the U.S. 
and its allies, he said. 
 
 
4.  (SBU) Okcun chairs a weekly interagency meeting on Afghan 
and Iraq Reconstruction, which includes representatives from 
the private sector, to ensure follow through on Turkey's 
commitments and respond quickly to needs that arise.  He 
noted that Turkey is already feeling the economic benefits of 
Afghanistan's renewal.  Turkish officials claim that Turkey 
is the number one investor in Afghanistan and bilateral 
trade, though still small, is expected to reach a new high 
this year.  He also said Turkish contractors are playing a 
leading role in reconstruction activities, many of them 
financed by the U.S. 
EDELMAN