US embassy cable - 05ANKARA356

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000356 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/19/2030 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, PGOV, TU, AF, UK 
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: TURKEY MODIFIES ITS PRT STANCE 
 
REF: ANKARA 353 
 
Classified By: PolMil Counselor Timothy A. Betts for reasons 1.4 (b) an 
d (d) 
 
1. (C) Late January 19, MFA South Asia DDG Aydin Evirgen told 
PolMilCouns that, after further consideration "at high 
levels," Turkey was modifying its position on participating 
in PRTs in Afghanistan from that which he conveyed to us on 
January 18 (reftel).  He said the Turkish General Staff (TGS) 
had been authorized to offer a Turkish contribution to the 
Italian-led PRT in Harat at the NATO force generation 
conference on January 20.  Evirgen said that this 
contribution would be "an alternative" to taking over the 
British PRT at Mazar-e Sharif, but the Turkish representative 
at the Jan. 20 meeting would not address the Mazar option as 
Ankara preferred to wait to hear the USG thoughts on it. 
PolMilCouns welcomed this message, noting that he had heard 
informally that HMG may have already found others to take 
over Mazar.  When pressed as to whether the two options -- 
contributing to Harat or leading in Mazar -- were mutually 
exclusive, Evirgen allowed that in the event both 
contributions were desired, the GOT would consider them.  For 
now, however, the decision was one or the other. 
 
2. (C) Comment:  This is the first hint that Turkey is 
prepared to participation in Stage 2 expansion of ISAF.  We 
defer to USNATO on the merits of this new proposal in meeting 
ISAF force requirements.  From the perspective of encouraging 
greater Turkish participation in ISAF, however, we should 
capitalize on this sudden change of heart if we can.  End 
comment. 
 
3. (U) Kabul minimize considered. 
EDELMAN