US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6303

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006303 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MOPS, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TURKISH PARLIAMENT APPROVES TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO 
IRAQ 
 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 6272 
     B. ANKARA 6281 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.5 
(b) and (d). 
 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Turkey's Parliament approved sending troops 
to Iraq on October 7 by a comfortable majority, 358 for, 183 
against, 2 abstentions.  The opposition Republican People's 
Party (CHP) unsuccessfully tried to thwart approval by a 
last-minute assertion, quickly refuted by Foreign Minister 
Gul, that the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) had passed a 
resolution expressing opposition to Turkish troops.  However, 
crucial details still need to be worked out with the GOT and 
Turkish doubts about the Iraqi public's acceptance of troops 
will need to be addressed.  End Summary. 
 
 
A Slam-Dunk Approval for AK 
 
 
2.  (U) The ruling AK Party got over 80 votes more than it 
needed to pass the resolution granting the GOT permission to 
contribute troops to the Iraq Stabilization Force.  AK 
parliamentary management, including an open vote witnessed 
personally by PM Erdogan five days before the AK party 
congress, appeared designed to ensure a slam-dunk vote for 
approval and avoid a repeat of March 1.  Post has e-mailed 
the complete text of the motion to EUR/SE. 
 
 
Turkish Concerns About IGC Disapproval 
 
 
3.  (C) Before the vote, MFA U/S Baki Ilkin called DCM about 
mistaken reports on Turkish television that the IGC had voted 
and unanimously rejected the sending of Turkish troops to 
Iraq.  Ilkin said these types of reports would hamper GOT 
efforts to move forward on the deployment.  While Ilkin 
understood the facts -- individual statements spun as ICG 
opinion -- he said Turkish public opinion would be affected. 
Ilkin asked that the USG take action to counteract the 
impression that the IGC opposed Turkish troops in Iraq. 
 
 
4.  (C) According to AK parliamentarian Ibrahim Ozal, during 
the parliamentary debate, opposition CHP leader Deniz Baykal 
claimed that the IGC had passed a resolution opposing Turkish 
troops in Iraq.  AK FM Abdullah Gul quickly took the floor 
and refuted Baykal's assertion.  Ozal calculated that five AK 
parliamentarians voted against the motion (Turkish press 
reports indicated nine defections). 
 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  The Parliament's approval, in the face of 
continuing opposition from the public, President Sezer, and 
parts of the traditional elite, demonstrates political 
leadership by the PM and FM to contribute to a new Iraq and 
to shore up U.S.-Turkey relations.  As we move forward, they 
will want to demonstrate the benefits, since they know there 
will be clear costs.  Some of that effort will be evident as 
we try to work out the details of timing, troop numbers, 
location, and costs -- all of which were omitted from the 
resolution -- as well as Turkey's fuller role in the 
coalition.  We will also have to help address lingering 
Turkish doubts about acceptance of their troops by the Iraqi 
public.  End Comment. 
 
 
6.  (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
EDELMAN