US embassy cable - 04ISTANBUL1249

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001249 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, PTER, PREL, IZ, TU, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: TURKISH TRUCKING ASSOCIATION URGES HALT TO WORK 
WITH USG IN IRAQ 
 
REF: ANKARA 4340 
 
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Summary 
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1. (sbu) Immediately following the August 2 murder of Murat 
Yuce, a former Turkish trucker who had been held hostage in 
Iraq, Turkey's largest transporters' association released a 
statement calling on its members to halt work on all U.S. 
military contracts in Iraq.  The non-binding statement may 
have led to the subsequent August 5 release of two other 
Turkish truckers held hostage in Iraq, but also prompted 
criticism from such groups as a rival transporters' 
association and Turkey's major exporters' association, which 
argued that Turkish companies must be free to play a role in 
Iraq' future.  Both transporters' associations tell us 
privately, however, that, despite the risk, Turkish companies 
will continue to seek more business in Iraq.  End Summary. 
 
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Turkish Truckers Association "Abandons" USG Contracts 
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2. (sbu) Murat Yuce, a plumber employed by the Turkish firm 
Bilintur to handle laundry services at one of the U.S. 
military facilities in Iraq, was taken hostage and murdered 
on August 2 (reftel).  Until a few months ago, however, Yuce 
was a trucker for the Turkish firm Oztur.  Immediately 
following the internet broadcast of his murder, the 
International Transporters' Association (ITA), which purports 
to represent over 90 percent of Turkish transportation 
companies, issued a statement calling on its members to halt 
work on all U.S. military contracts in Iraq.  (Note: 
Following the statement, two other Turkish drivers for Oztur 
were released in Iraq on August 5. End Note.)  Despite the 
declarative language of the statement (full text in para 7), 
ITA Chairman Cahit Soysal told poloff on August 5 that the 
decision was approved by only a majority of ITA's 19 board 
members and has no binding authority on ITA's 900 plus member 
companies.  Soysal began by assuring poloff that ITA does not 
see the U.S. as an "enemy."  The August 2 statement, Soysal 
argued, is the product of many months of concern about the 
security situation for member employees in Iraq.  ITA said 
they have conveyed these concerns and specific suggestions to 
improve the situation to Turkish, Iraqi, and USG officials 
(including to Ambassador Bremmer during a February 2004 
meeting in Baghdad with a Turkish commercial delegation). 
 
3. (sbu) Poloff remarked that the U.S. shares ITA's concerns 
about the security situation.  Soysal conceded that the U.S. 
has taken some measures, but went on to argue that 
shortcomings in these arrangements vitiate their 
effectiveness.  Even where there are convoys, he said, they 
don't wait for trucks that have technical problems (even flat 
tires) and they speed up whenever they come under fire, 
sometimes leaving trucks behind.  Additionally, the convoys 
are provided only to Mosul and not back to the border -- 
would-be terrorists need only note which trucks are escorted 
on the way to Mosul and then target them on the way back. 
Soysal said that ITA does not hold the U.S. responsible for 
the security situation and added that ITA is willing to work 
with all of the relevant authorities to invest in measures 
that can improve the situation.  Additionally, Soysal assured 
poloff that ITA is not encouraging its member companies to 
cancel contracts with the U.S. military.  "The statement was 
a political, public-relations message," Soysal admitted. 
Poloff noted that the USG is worried that the statement, by 
seeming to respond to terrorist demands, may ultimately have 
a detrimental effect on the personal security of Turks and 
other foreigners in Iraq.  Soysal said that, with sufficient 
cover (i.e., additional security measures), ITA would be 
eager to rescind the statement. 
 
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Rival Groups Denounce Statement as Irresponsible Posturing 
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4. (sbu) While the ITA statement elicited some public support 
(particularly from groups that are generally opposed to the 
U.S. presence in Iraq), a number of business associations 
were openly critical.  The Chairman of the Turkish Exporters' 
Assembly, for example, said that "Neither the Turkish 
truckers nor the exporters have the luxury to say that 'I 
don't want to play here.'"  Saffet Ulusoy, Chairman of ITA's 
principal rival transporters' association, the Ro-Ro Vessel 
Operators and Combined Transporters' Association (RODER), 
said that, "ITA does not have the authority or the right to 
take such a decision.  Only the government can take such a 
decision."  Cumhur Atilgan, the General Manager of RODER 
(which claims to represent over 60 percent of Turkish 
transport companies) told poloff on August 6 that RODER also 
has security concerns but that many of its members had 
criticized the ITA statement as "political posturing" that is 
detrimental to their business and to the security of their 
truckers in Iraq.  (Note: Ulusoy, formerly ITA Chairman, 
formed RODER when he lost reelection 2 years ago.  ITA and 
RODER share a number of members, but do not see eye to eye on 
most issues.  End Note). 
 
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Improving Security in Iraq? 
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5. (sbu) Despite their security concerns and the perceived 
risks of working in Iraq, both ITA and RODER assured poloff 
that their members were committed to pursuing such business. 
Following the liberation of Iraq last year, trade between 
Turkey and Iraq has risen dramatically.  According to 
recently released figures from the Turkish Exporters' 
Assembly, trade with Iraq in 2003 was over USD 1 billion and 
reached almost USD 800 million in the last 7 months.  In 
order to address their own security concerns, both ITA and 
RODER told poloff that they are developing projects to 
construct a warehouse and trans-shipment center in northern 
Iraq where Turkish trucks can transfer their cargo to Iraqi 
trucks.  Both said that they were willing to invest their own 
money, that they had already raised the idea with the Turkish 
MFA and Ministry of Transportation, and that they are 
planning to send delegations to Iraq to explore possibilities 
on the ground.  Both asked for U.S. support.  Both 
organizations also lamented the failure to implement earlier 
proposals that Turkish trucks be given fake or temporary 
Iraqi license plates to reduce the likelihood that they would 
be targeted by terrorists. 
 
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Comment 
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6. (sbu) The ITA statement appears to have been a political 
effort to insulate Turkish truckers from association with the 
USG and to goad authorities into addressing their long-held 
security concerns.  Political and personal differences 
between ITA and RODER will probably prevent any cooperation 
between the two organizations on efforts to improve the 
security situation for their companies.  Regardless of the 
inherent risks and the position of their associations, 
however, Turkish transportation companies and exporters are 
likely to continue to pursue lucrative business contracts in 
Iraq. 
 
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ITA August 2 Statement 
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7. (u) International Transporter's Association supports the 
development of political and trade relations between Turkey 
and Iraq.  However, it has observed that security and 
stability in Iraq can not be maintained yet.  Within the 
framework of current developments, the ITA decided to stop 
the transport of cargo which belong to the American troops in 
Iraq as of August 2, 2004. 
 
ARNETT