US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2787

UNCLAS ANKARA 002787 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR NEA/REA:CLAWSON; OES/PCI:ASALZBERG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, EAID, ECIN, IZ, PREL, SENV, SY, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY PREPARES FIRST STEP FOR COOPERATION WITH 
IRAQ ON THE TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES 
 
REF: A. 2004 ANKARA 5780 
     B. 2005 ANKARA 248 
     C. 2005 ANKARA 1230 
     D. 2005 ANKARA 2389 
     E. STATE 55035 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified. 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  Turkey's MFA Water expert said water data 
received from the Iraqi Water Ministry showed Iraq's 
willingness to cooperate on the Tigris and Euphrates, and he 
hoped to issue soon an invitation for an Iraqi delegation to 
come to Ankara to start talks on cooperation.  We recommend 
that Washington consider some projects to support this 
positive step.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) MFA DDG Mithat Rende told us that he was pleased to 
finally get a response to Turkey's long-standing request for 
water data from Iraq.  Although Rende said the response did 
not address all the information asked for, he said the 
response from the Iraqi Water Ministry showed a certain 
willingness on the part of the new government to cooperate. 
Rende said the Iraqi response opens the door for Turkey to 
accept Iraq's offer, made by Minister Rashid during his 
August 2004 Ankara visit (ref a) and again in a March 2005 
letter (ref e) to initiate talks on Tigris-Euphrates 
cooperation.  Rende said he would consult with MFA's Middle 
East department and would probably accept the offer and 
invite an Iraqi delegation to come to Ankara.  Rende noted 
the May 19 visit to Ankara of Iraqi PM Jafari, but did not 
indicate if an invitation would be ready in time for the 
visit.  Rende did not say whether Syria would be included in 
the invitation, but he did note that Syria and Turkey have 
been talking about transboundary water issues recently (ref 
b) and have a slightly better record of cooperation. 
 
3.  (SBU) We explained our understanding that Minister Rashid 
had only recently received the Turkish water data request, 
which had been transmitted by diplomatic note to the Iraqi 
Foreign Ministry but apparently not forwarded to the Water 
Ministry, and therefore the delay should not be interpreted 
as intentional.  Rende accepted that as correct and pointed 
out the Iraq's MFA needed a point person for water issues if 
the cooperation sought by Rashid is going to be successful. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment:  A Turkish invitation to Rashid to begin 
talks on Tigris-Euphrates cooperation may prove a turning 
point on the Tigris-Euphrates issue.  Rende and others in 
Turkey have openly questioned Iraq's desire to cooperate, but 
now seem prepared to accept at face value that Rashid is 
sincere.  Nevertheless, given the bitter history among the 
riparians on this issue, we should encourage all sides to 
keep their ambitions modest -- at least in the first 
meetings.  Rende recalled his conversation April in Istanbul 
with NEA Science Advisor Lawson (ref d) and reiterated his 
desire for the U.S. to propose ideas to build confidence 
among the parties.  Per refs a and c, now would be a good 
time for Washington to discuss proposals that could be 
presented to Iraqi and Turkish officials as an expression of 
U.S. support for this cooperation and to help address some of 
the needs. 
 
Baghdad Minimize Considered. 
EDELMAN