US embassy cable - 04ANKARA7075

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BAGHDAD PLEASE PASS TO MNF-I HQ AND TASK FORCE OLYMPIA 
COMMANDER BG HAM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2014 
TAGS: MOPS, MASS, PREL, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: AIRLIFT FOR SECURITY ATTACHE TO 
TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD 
 
 
Classified By: CDA Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) This is an action request for State, DoD, CENTCOM, 
Embassy Baghdad, and MNF-I.  Please see para. three. 
 
2. (U) On Dec. 17, AIF in Mosul attacked a convoy of four 
vehicles carrying Turkish police officers assigned TDY to 
provide security at the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad.  Five 
Turkish officers and one of their Iraqi drivers were KIA 
(another Iraqi driver is missing).  The Turkish security 
attache to their embassy, Saadettin Kece, was WIA.  TFO 
transported him to the 332nd EMDG, Air Force Theater 
Hospital, Balad; he is patient number 778.  We understand 
from email traffic that his condition has improved and that 
he is ready to be released.  On. Dec. 20, the GOT requested 
via diplomatic note (text at para. four) that the U.S. 
repatriate Kece by air. 
 
3. (C) Comment and action request: This tragic incident has 
shocked both official Turkey and the Turkish public, much 
more so than the death of approximately 60 Turkish truck 
drivers in Iraq since the flareup of the insurgency. 
President Sezer, PM Erdogan, and CHOD Ozkok all attended the 
Dec. 20 memorial service for the five murdered police 
officers; Charge attended on the Embassy's behalf.  Turkish 
officials have expressed their gratitude to MNF-I for 
assisting in collecting the remains of the Turkish officers 
and for transporting them from Mosul to the Turkish border. 
Embassy believes it would be an important goodwill 
gesture--especially in advance of expected visits to Ankara 
by Deputy Secretary Armitage as well as CDR CENTCOM General 
Abizaid next month--to airlift this official to Turkey or (if 
easier) close to the Turkish border at the Habur Gate. 
 
4. (U) Action request, cont.: We understand from our Dec. 21 
discussions with the Turkish MFA that we may be able to meet 
their request for assistance in an easier fashion.  The 
Turkish embassy in Baghdad still needs a security detail, and 
the Turks are tentatively planning to send a new team by air 
to Baghdad as early as Dec. 22.  Should this occur, they may 
refine their request to airlifting the official from Balad to 
BIA, where the Turks could pick him up for the return flight 
home.  End comment and action request. 
 
5. (U) On Dec. 20, we received the following diplomatic note 
from the Turkish MFA: 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America and has the honor to inform the latter of the 
following; 
 
As confirmed by Embassy, Mr. Saadettin Kece, the Security 
Attache of the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad who has been 
wounded during the terrorist attack in Mosul on 17 December 
2004, and transferred to the Multi National Force's medical 
facility near Balad for emergency treatment, is now stable, 
and ready for transfer to Turkey. 
 
In view of the foregoing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
would be much obliged if the esteemed Embassy could kindly 
intercede with the Multi National Force Headquarters in Iraq 
to obtain the necessary permission for the transfer of Mr. 
Kece to Turkey, by air, through the assets available to the 
US Forces in the region, and inform the Ministry of the 
outcome. 
 
The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew to 
the Embassy of the United States the assurances of its 
highest considerations. 
 
Ankara, 20 December 2004 
 
END TEXT. 
 
6. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
DEUTSCH