US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1263

UNCLAS ANKARA 001263 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, EFIN, IZ, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S CONTINUES TO WAIT FOR IMPROVED SECURITY 
BEFORE DISBURSING ITS $50 MILLION PLEDGE FOR IRAQ 
RECONSTRUCTION 
 
REF: A. STATE 36580 
 
     B. 2004 ANKARA 5351 
 
1.  On MArch 7, Turkey's new Coordinator for Iraq 
Reconstruction, Ambassador Toray Targay, told Econ Counselor 
that Turkey is ready to begin disbursing its $50 million 
pledge for Iraqi reconstruction, but they continue to wait 
for the security situation to improve.  We emphasized that 
the U.S. has accelerated its reconstruction disbursements and 
urged Turkey to begin disbursing its aid as soon as possible 
to signal international support for the Iraqi people.  Targay 
hoped that Turkey would be able to proceed soon, once the new 
Iraqi Assembly is in place and a new Iraqi government is 
chosen and working. 
 
2.  Targay said that Turkey has projects that can be 
implemented very quickly, such as hospital construction 
projects in Baghdad and Basra.  Turkey's Cooperation and 
Development Agency (TIKA) will implement Turkey's projects in 
Iraq.  Targay said that Turkey has spent only a small amount 
of the $50 million pledge for police and election worker 
training.  Humanitarian assistance, such as was provided last 
year for the Turkmen city of Tal Afar, did not come out of 
the $50 million.  Targay expected that Turkey's $50 million 
could go quite far -- the salaries and housing costs of 
Turkish government employees are not included, and Targay 
expected that most of the Turkish companies working on 
reconstruction projects would be willing to make significant 
in-kind contributions to projects.  He noted that many of the 
Turkish companies in Afghanistan have been pleased to make 
such contributions. 
 
3. Baghdad minimize considered. EDELMAN