US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2054

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/NGA; BAGHDAD ALSO FOR CJTF-7 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2024 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKISH FM SAYS TURKEY WON'T SEND TROOPS, 
IMPLIES COALITION DIFFICULTIES RESULT OF LISTENING TO IRAQI 
KURDS RATHER THAN TURKISH ADVICE 
 
 
REF: A. STATE 74537 
     B. FBIS GMP20040408000044 
     C. FBIS GMP20040408000018 
 
 
(U) Classified by Acting DCM Scot Marciel.  Reasons 1.4 b and 
d. 
 
 
1. (SBU) We delivered Ref A demarche requesting supportive 
public statements about coalition action against Jaysh 
al-Mahdi in Iraq to the Turkish MFA Iraq desk April 5.  At 
time of delivery the Turks made no comment.  On April 8, 
Turkish FM Gul, as reported in Refs A and B, said the future 
dispatch of Turkish troops to Iraq was "out of the question," 
and implied that the current violence in Iraq was in part a 
result of the US having focused on the Iraqi Kurds while 
ignoring Iraq's Shiite community, and of having attached more 
importance to the views of Iraqi (Kurdish) groups than to 
advice offered by Turkey.  See quotes from Ref A and B texts 
at paras 2 and 3. 
 
 
2. (C) Asked by journalists April 8 about reports that the US 
may have again requested Turkish troops for Iraq, FM Gul 
replied, "At one time we made such a proposal and it was not 
seen as appropriate.  From now on, dispatching Turkish troops 
is out of the question."  MFA spokesman Namik Tan (protect) 
told Deputy Pol-Mil Counselor that night that the FM would 
likely have made a similar statement even if the press had 
not asked the question.  Tan noted that the MFA had inserted 
talking points in the FM's briefing materials after reading 
William Safire's early April op ed in the New York Times 
suggesting that Turkish troops be used to stabilize the 
situation in Iraq. 
 
 
3. (U) In an interview the same day with Turkish television, 
Gul said the coalition in Iraq was facing "mass resistance," 
and added, "we have from the beginning been telling a country 
that is our ally the realities that we know.  I, however, 
believe that the analysis was not done well because they are 
faced with a culture that is alien to them.  They relied too 
much on certain groups within Iraq instead of heeding the 
recommendations made by their allies.  That turned out to be 
wrong...They attached more importance to certain groups 
within Iraq which they considered to be their allies.  That 
led them to certain mistakes."  When asked if he thought that 
a balance of arms in favor of Kurds in Iraq led the US to 
ignore the Shiite community/majority, Gul replied, "You are 
now clarifying what I tried to say discreetly a while ago. 
Such mistakes were committed." 
 
 
4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
EDELMAN