US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1338

UNCLAS ANKARA 001338 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELTN, ETRD, IZ, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: BACK IN BUSINESS:  FUEL DELIVERIES FROM TURKEY TO 
IRAQ RESUME 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 
 
     B. ANKARA 1214 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Following Embassy's strong objections, 
Turkish officials appear to have rescinded the March 1 
decision to stop the loading of SOMO and MNF-I fuel trucks. 
Turkey allowed trucks hauling JP-8 to load beginning March 5, 
and we confirmed March 10 that all MNF-I and SOMO fuel trucks 
are being allowed to load.  To avoid future disruptions, 
Turkish officials asked for pre-notification of Iraqi 
decisions to close the border.  They also asked for 
information on road security in Iraq and agreed to support an 
Embassy request to allow tanker trucks to carry full loads of 
fuel on Turkish roads.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C) In a series of meetings with senior MFA and Turkish 
Customs officials, we objected to Turkey's decision to 
suspend loading of SOMO and MNF-I fuel trucks because it 
discriminated against our trucks and could harm our efforts 
in Iraq and urged Turkey to rescind the order.  The Turkish 
officials claimed that they had been obliged to take the 
decision because of the exceptonally long lines of trucks 
waiting to enter Iraq that had developed following Iraqi 
decisions to close the border for security reasons during the 
elections and Ashura.  They said pre-notification of such 
closings would allow them to take preventative steps to 
prevent such conditions from developing again.  Ozge inquired 
about possible plans to close the border for the Nevruz 
holday.  (We later passed to Ozge information from Embassy 
Baghdad that it appeared that Iraq did not plan to close the 
borders for Nevruz.) 
 
3.  (C)  MFA DG Oguz Ozge added that the MNF-I and SOMO 
trucks have been receiving expedited treatment at Habur, 
which has caused growing frustration among local businesses 
involved in border trade activities.  We replied that we were 
not aware that our trucks received expedited treatment, and 
pointed out that this border trade is one of the causes of 
the congestion at the border, because these traders make 
short trips in and out of Iraq, sometimes only for the 
purpose of smuggling fuel.  We noted that much of the delay 
on the Iraqi side is related to efforts to apprehend the 
smugglers.  (Note:  Ag Counselor spoke recently with an 
official of a Turkish food company shipping to Iraq, who told 
him that the company routinely transfers its load to local 
truck drivers in Cizre and Silopi because these local drivers 
are allowed preferential treatment by Turkish border 
officials.) 
 
4.  (SBU)  Ozge promised to support the request by DESC for 
an exemption to the Turkish Transportation Ministry's policy 
to limit fuel trucks to filling their trucks to 70% of 
capacity.  The policy is designed to minimize the damage to 
the crumbling road network feeding into the Habur border 
crossing, but requires DESC to hire a third more trucks to 
meet CENTCOM fuel requirements. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Ozge and Customs Deputy Under Secretary Guler said 
that construction to expand and modernize the Turkish Customs 
area at Habur will commence in April but that steps would be 
taken to avoid disruptions of traffic.  Ozge added that 
Turkey will proceed with the agreement reached at the 
November 2004 trilateral meeting to build secure truck stops 
along the route from Habur to Baghdad.  Ozge said the GOT was 
looking at finance options, and was likely to use the BOT 
model. 
 
6.  (SBU)  Ozge asked if U.S. forces would be in a position 
to share information about current security conditions on the 
roads between Mosul and Baghdad.  He said it was his 
perception that security had improved in recent weeks, but 
would appreciate any confirmation that we could provide. 
 
7.  (U)  Baghdad Minimize Considered. 
EDELMAN