US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5233

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, IZ, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKISH HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE CONVOY FOR TAL AFAR 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 958 
 
1. (SBU) Levent Sahinkaya, MFA Head of Department for 
International Organizations, called in Pol-Mil Counselor on 
September 15 to request USG cooperation in delivering Turkish 
humanitarian assistance to Tal Afar on September 17. 
Econoff, Task Force Olympia LNO and Alp Ay, of the MFA 
International Organizations Department, also sat in on the 
meeting. 
 
2. (SBU) Sahinkaya said that the GOT had appropriated USD 1 
million in relief for Tal Afar, the first tranche of which is 
to be sent by the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) in a 7-TIR truck 
convoy via the Habur Gate this Friday.  The convoy will 
include 2 trucks of food, 2 of water, 2 of  tents and 1 of 
blankets.  TRC also plans to send ambulances, communications 
vehicles and medical personnel.  He provided us with a 
diplomatic note describing the convoy (see para 5 for further 
details), and stated that the GOT is in contact with the 
Department, the Iraqi Interim Government in Baghdad and the 
Iraqi Embassy in Ankara on this subject.  Sahinkaya told us 
TRC was putting together a list of staff and materials 
traveling in the convoy, and that this would be shared with 
us in the near future.  Some TRC staff are planning to stay 
on after distribution of assistance to conduct a needs 
assessment in Tal Afar.  He added that the GOT has asked the 
Iraqis for appropriate security coverage for the convoy. 
 
3. (SBU) Pol-Mil Counselor said that Turkish assistance was 
welcome, but that proper coordination with the Iraqi 
authorities, as well as with other relief efforts, is 
essential.  He urged Sahinkaya to establish direct contact 
with Ninewa Assistant Governor Arafat, the IIG,s point of 
contact on humanitarian assistance for Tal Afar (reftel), and 
to keep the Embassy and Task Force Olympia informed of 
developments related to the convoy.  Sahinkaya agreed to do 
this.  Polmilcouns also welcomed that the TRC would do an 
independent needs assessment.  He noted that there had been a 
lot of erroneous information in the Turkish press, and that 
the TRC would likely discover that the situation is not 
nearly as dire as some local press reports suggest. 
 
4. (SBU) Comment:  Task Force Olympia LNO observed that the 
Task Force would also be sending its own relief aid to Tal 
Afar.  In order for Assistant Governor Arafat to prevent the 
Turks from duplicating our efforts, it will be important that 
he also be informed of our assistance and reconstruction 
activities.  End Comment. 
 
5. (SBU) Begin text MFA dipnote 2004/UKGY/386389: 
 
URGENT 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America in Ankara and has the honor to inform that the 
Turkish Government has decided to dispatch humanitarian aid 
to the people of the city of Talafar in Iraq. 
 
In this framework, as the first phase of the humanitarian aid 
of the Turkish Government, a humanitarian assistance convoy 
of the Turkish Red Crescent consisting of 7 TIRs, 2 emergency 
assistance ambulances, 3 communication vehicles and one for 
personnel is planned to pass the Habur Border Gate on 17 
September 2004.  The convoy is supposed to transfer 450 
family tents, 3000 blankets and enough food and water to 
respond to the needs of 5000 people, together with 14 
drivers, 3 technicians, 2 doctors, 2 nurses and a team of 15 
personnel for dispatching the material. 
 
The details of the vehicles, material and personnel of the 
convoy will be transmitted to the esteemed Embassy at the 
earliest convenient time. 
 
The Ministry would highly appreciate the assistance of the 
esteemed Embassy in informing the relevant U.S. authorities 
and arranging the necessary security measures. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of 
the United States of America the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
Ankara, 15 September 2004. 
 
End text MFA note. 
EDELMAN