US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4009

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004009 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ BELIEVES CONSTITUTION 
DRAFTING DEADLINE WILL HOLD 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) a 
nd (d). 
 
1. (C) Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Unal _Cevikoz told the 
Charge July 7 that he was called to Ankara (from his vacation 
in Istanbul) by Foreign Minister Gul to consult on the recent 
attacks on Arab diplomats in Baghdad.  Gul was concerned by 
the recent attacks, but was still interested in visiting Iraq 
in the near future.  _Cevikoz said that he counseled the 
minister to wait until after the August 15 deadline to 
complete the drafting of a new Iraqi constitution. 
 
2. (C) _Cevikoz was optimistic about the constitutional 
drafting process.  He recently met with Kurdistan Democratic 
Party chief Massoud Barzani who said he would look to the 
Transitional Administrative Law for ways to handle 
controversial issues in the constitution.  Cevikoz, 
therefore, expected the Iraqis would paper over their 
differences on Kirkuk and meet the August 15 deadline. 
 
3. (C) On plans to open a consulate in Mosul, _Cevikoz said he 
was urging Ankara to go slow despite having recently received 
the ITG's approval.  He argued that the security situation 
needed to improve before opening there. 
 
4. (U) Iraq REOs minimize considered. 
MCELDOWNEY