US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6534

UNCLAS ANKARA 006534 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN, IZ, KPAO, TU 
SUBJECT: SECURING UNDELIVERED IRAQI MEDIA EQUIPMENT -- 
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON TURKISH COMPANY 
 
 
REF: A. STATE 284988 
     B. SMITH-DONNELLY E-MAIL 
 
 
1.  Istanbul Pol/Econ chief contacted the Al Huda San 
company, which ref a identified as the company which prior to 
the war had contracted to ship USD 17,881,020 worth of media 
equipment to Iraq.  He spoke with one company official, Ahmet 
Cakir, who had been involved in the early stages of the deal. 
 Cakir said when Coalition troops entered Iraq, The Turkish 
government informed the company that the tender was no longer 
valid, and the deal collapsed.  He added that he had no idea 
where the equipment is and claimed the Al Huda San company 
had never received payment for the equipment.  He noted that 
Al Huda is a partnership with an individual in Dubai, Mr. 
Wadi Handal, whose phone no. is 00971-4-268-5044.  Istanbul 
hopes to meet with Al Huda San owner Yunus Takak next week to 
clarify this information. 
 
 
2.  Embassy Ankara will follow up with GOT officials to 
determine if they were aware of the deal and whether other 
aspects of Cakir's story ring true.  Embassy requests that 
CPA fax the equipment list to Kurt Donnelly Econ/Ankara (fax 
number 312 468-6138) and Stuart Smith/Istanbul (fax number 
212 335-9355). 
EDELMAN