US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6878

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006878 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/A, INL, EUR/SE, AND EUR/RPM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2014 
TAGS: SNAR, PARM, AF, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY WELCOMES AFGHANISTAN COUNTERNARCOTICS PLAN, 
BUT OPPOSES ISAF ROLE IN ERADICATION 
 
REF: STATE 248010 
 
Classified By: PolMilCouns Timothy A. Betts for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
1. (C) Per reftel instructions, PolMilCouns presented our 
Afghanistan counternarcotics plan on Dec. 9 to Aydin Evirgen, 
MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia.  Evirgen welcomed 
our comprehensive approach, and signaled Turkey's willingness 
to engage on this issue.  He said that Turkey is also alarmed 
by the significant growth in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. 
 
2. (C) Evirgen cautioned, however, that Turkey remains 
concerned about ISAF involvement in counternarcotics efforts, 
and is opposed to ISAF having a role in eradication, because 
it could damage ISAF's standing with the Afghan public and 
make its peacekeeping mission harder.  He thought education 
should be the first step.  PolMilCouns pointed out that our 
plan emphasizes that the Afghan government would have the 
lead on this issue and added that under our understanding of 
the mission's mandate, ISAF commanders have the discretion as 
to whether to participate in counternarcotics efforts. 
Moreover, ISAF included PRTs that could contribute to other 
pillars of our plan; ISAF's involvement need not be solely 
military in nature.  Evirgen took the point, but again 
emphasized that Turkey would oppose any ISAF involvement in 
eradication efforts. 
 
3. (U) Dushanbe minimize considered. 
EDELMAN