US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2527

UNCLAS ANKARA 002527 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR EUR/SE AND L/EUR - KAREN JOHNSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EPET, ETRD, IZ, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY REQUESTS INFORMATION ON USG FUEL DELIVERIES 
TO IRAQ FOR PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATION OF SMUGGLING 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified. 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request.  See para 3. 
 
2.  (SBU) Embassy received a diplomatic note May 3 requesting 
information on U.S. purchases of refined products in Turkey 
for delivery to Iraq during the period May 2003 through April 
2005.  Para 4 contains text of diplomatic note.  The 
information is being requested by a parliamentary committee 
investigating cross-border smuggling in the southeast region 
of Turkey.  Members of the committee recently visited the 
Habur Gate border crossing with Iraq, and according to the 
Turkish daily Cumhuriyet, said the border is a "sieve," 
charging that smuggling accounts for $150 million per year 
and some Turkish oil firms and members of Parliament may be 
involved.  Action Request: 
 
3.  (U) Action Request:  Post requests Department 
instructions on whether to accommodate the Turkish request. 
Embassy is collecting the requested information but will 
await instructions before passing to MFA. 
 
4.  (SBU) Text of diplomatic note: 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America, and has the honor to inform that an inquiry 
committee of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of 
Turkey investigating the detrimental effects caused by the 
illicit trafficking of petroleum to the economy, human life 
and environment and the measures to be determined in this 
regard, has requested information from the U.S. Defense 
Energy Support Centre related to the quantity of fuel 
products shipped from Turkey to Iraq between May 2003 and 1st 
April 2005, including a listing of supplier/transmitter 
companies on a yearly basis.  (Standard Closing.)  Ankara, 
2nd May 2005.  End text. 
 
Baghdad Minimize Considered. 
EDELMAN