US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1105

UNCLAS ANKARA 001105 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, IZ, MARR, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY SUSPENDS SOMO SUSTAINMENT FUEL LOADING 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified. 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  Turkish officials decided to cease 
loading SOMO fuels and the coalition fuels loaded at three 
sites in Turkey as a measure to reduce the estimated 100 KM 
plus backlog of trucks in Turkey.  An MFA official estimated 
that the decision would be in effect for four to five days. 
He added that Iraqi border officials pledged to increase 
their intake of trucks by about 300 per day to help reduce 
the backlog.   End Summary, 
 
2.  (SBU)  According the GoT subgovernor in charge of the 
Habur gate, Savas Unlu, commercial fuel suppliers in Mersin 
and Iskenderun on March 1 were ordered to cease loading SOMO 
and coalition fuels (JP-8, MOGAS and diesel) at those three 
sites until the estimated 100 KM plus backlog in Turkey 
declines.  He told AMCON Adana PO the burden of improving the 
situation was on "those officials on the other side."  (Note: 
Iraqi officials running the Ibrahim Khalil gate opposite 
Turkey,s Habur Gate.  End Note.)   He claimed that, with 
recently increased Turkish staffing which has increased 
Turkish ability to repatriate northbound traffic and reduce 
the many months long 60-70 KM running backlog in Iraq, the 
Habur gate (southbound) could soon process up to 2,300 
vehicles daily (Note: from the usual 1200-1300 daily. End 
Note.) "with better coordination from those at the other side 
of the bridge." 
 
3.  (SBU)  Econoff contacted MFA Department Head Atilay 
Ersan, who was unaware of the decision.  He later reported 
that the measure had been agreed to at the March 2 weekly 
border coordination meeting between Turkish and Iraqi border 
officials.  U.S. military officers who attended the meeting 
confirmed that Turkish officials announced the plan to 
suspend fuel loadings and that Iraqi officials agreed to the 
plan.  Adana PO confirmed that contractors were ordered by 
Turkish government officials to cease loading SOMO and 
sustainment trucks. 
 
4.  (SBU) Ersan said Turkish border officials reported that 
the line of trucks waiting in Turkey had reached 110 km and 
that the suspension of SOMO and sustainment fuel loadings 
would last four to five days.  He added that Iraqi officials 
promised to increase the number of trucks they could take to 
1,800-2,000 per day.  Econoff responded that the Turkish 
decision discriminates against SOMO and sustainment trucks, 
which make up about half of the daily traffic at the border, 
and could cause shortages in Iraq. 
 
5.  (SBU) Comment:  This seems to be a rash, uncoordinated 
decision.  It comes after numerous newspaper and TV reports 
of the truck backlog in Turkey and just days after the 
Ministers of Trade and Interior visited the border region. 
Embassy will continue to pursue this issue with Ankara 
interlocutors to ensure sustainment supplies receive 
priority.  End Comment. 
 
6. (U) Baghdad Minimize Considered. 
EDELMAN