US embassy cable - 05ANKARA504

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2015 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, EAID, TU, AF 
SUBJECT: TURKEY PLANS TO PROVIDE STAFF AND MATERIALS FOR 
AFGHAN WAR COLLEGE, MULLING TRAINING FOR ANA 
 
Classified By: CDA Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) TGS/J3 LTG Yalcin told DCM and PolMilCouns on Jan. 26 
that Turkey was planning to offer significant training and 
support for the Afghan War College.  PolMilOff followed up 
Jan. 27 with Aydin Evirgen, MFA Deputy Director General for 
South Asia.  Evirgen said that the plan--which still required 
final GOT approval, which he expected to receive in a matter 
of a few weeks--was to provide 16 trainers "for up to several 
years" at the War College.  The trainers would fill needs 
which the Afghans identified to the Turks.  Turkey also plans 
to supply clothing and other materials (office supplies, 
etc.) to the War College's 60 staff and 120 students. 
 
2. (C) Evirgen (please protect) also said that the GOT was 
considering providing direct training to the Afghan National 
Army, but added that this idea was still in the planning 
stages; he implied it might meet more resistance in the 
Turkish bureaucracy. 
 
3. (C) Comment: The Turks are playing to their strengths in 
providing trainers and materials for the Afghan War College. 
(Yalcin cited similar significant assistance to war colleges 
in Bosnia and Georgia.)  This, along with their apparent 
willingness to reconsider deploying a PRT, demonstrates that 
they are not allowing their command of ISAF VII to be their 
sole contribution to the future of Afghanistan.  End comment. 
EDELMAN