US embassy cable - 03ANKARA7452

UNCLAS ANKARA 007452 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, ENRG, IZ, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKISH TRUCKERS' STRIKE OVER; FUEL DELIVERIES TO 
NORTHERN IRAQ RESUME 
 
1. (SBU) Truckers delivering refined products to northern 
Iraq under the contract managed by Kellogg, Brown and Root 
(KBR) went on strike Monday, bringing badly need fuel 
deliveries to a halt and raising concerns of imminent fuel 
shortages.  After two days of negotiations, the truckers 
agreed to resume deliveries.  Loading began at 10 pm 
Wednesday evening, with the first trucks expected to reach 
the Iraqi border by midnite Thursday. 
 
 
2.  (SBU) Discontent has been rising among the truckers, who 
complain of growing delays at the border, mistreatment by 
customs officials, and growing security risks in Iraq.  But 
the final straw was a move to end a common smuggling practice 
allegedly condoned by Iraqi customs officials, who allowed 
the truckers to bring cheap fuel back into Turkey, where it 
was sold at a higher price.  The decision coincided with the 
Turkish Bayram holiday, when many truckers took time off and 
had the opportunity to discuss their grievances and organize 
a strike, which began Monday afternoon. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) The strike was very effective, almost completely 
halting deliveries.  (KBR employs as many as 3,500 trucks; 
only about 100 trucks continued to make deliveries on Tuesday 
and Wednesday.)  The striking drivers congregated at the main 
loading terminals in Mersin, where talks with the Turkish 
companies responsible for hiring the truckers took place.  On 
Thursday evening, the truckers agreed to a sizable increase 
in the fee paid for delivery.  A key point in persuading the 
truckers to return to work was the assurance of the 101st 
Airborne to provide security for the truckers in Iraq. 
Loading began at 10 pm Wednesday evening, and by 5 pm, 1,000 
trucks were loaded and on their way to Iraq. 
 
 
4.  (SBU) The immediate crisis has been resolved, but KBR's 
representative warned that truckers will still face problems 
at the border and security concerns in Iraq.  He remarked 
that truckers have demonstrated their ability to organize an 
effective strike and warned that repeated delays at the 
border, which have plagued the KBR operation, could set off a 
new strike at any time. 
EDELMAN