US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1015

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY WILL SUPPORT ITG, SENDS POSITIVE 
SIGNALS ON JA'AFARI 
 
REF: STATE 30179 
 
Classified By: Political Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts. Reasons 1 
.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) PolMilOffs called on MFA Head of Iraq Department Avni 
Botsali on Feb. 23 to deliver reftel demarche.  In response, 
Botsali read from (and handed us) cleared press guidance that 
he had drafted for MFA spokesman Namik Tan on Feb. 17.  The 
guidance notes the UNSC president's statement of Feb. 16 as 
well as UNSYG Annan's Feb. 14 statement concerning the 
announcement of the election results.  It pledges Turkey's 
continued support for "a fair and democratic regime" in Iraq. 
 The guidance further states that Turkey will continue its 
constructive dialogue with the ITG, with all political 
elements in Iraqi, and with neighboring countries and the 
international community. 
 
2. (C) Botsali emphasized to us that Turkey will work with 
and support the ITG.  He noted that the United Iraqi 
Alliance's choice for PM, Ibrahim Ja'afari, had visited 
Ankara in December and was well-known to Turkey; he added 
that Turkey is ready to work with whoever will lead the ITG. 
When PolMilOff asked if Turkey plans to issue another 
statement following the formation of the ITG, Botsali replied 
that he had not been planning to draft one.  (Comment: This 
is not really Botsali's decision.  We will work to get a 
positive statement from the Turks when the ITG is formed. 
End comment.) 
 
3. (U) While MFA Spokesman Tan appears not to have explicitly 
deployed his press guidance expressing Turkish support for 
the ITG, he did respond to a reporters' question on Ja'afari. 
 Tan said that Ja'afari knows Turkey well and met with both 
PM Erdogan and FonMin Gul during his Dec. 1-3 visit to 
Ankara.  Tan described these meetings as "comprehensive and 
very useful." 
 
4. (U) Iraq posts minimize considered. 
EDELMAN