US embassy cable - 05ANKARA4166

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004166 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2015 
TAGS: ECIN, ETRD, IZ, PREL, TU, Iraq 
SUBJECT: TURKEY AND IRAQ COOPERATE ON TRUCKER SECURITY, 
DISCUSS SECOND BORDER CROSSING 
 
Classified By: Acting Economic Counselor Andrew Snow for reasons 
1.4(b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Turkey and Iraq continue to work to 
improve the safety for Turkish drivers who transport large 
volumes of refined products and other goods into Iraq. 
Trucker deaths have fallen sharply in 2005.  On June 22-23 
Turkish and Iraqi officials met in Ankara to discuss 
transportation security, including improved communications 
and the introduction in Turkey of insurance for losses by 
truckers in Iraq.  The two sides will meet July 26 to 
discuss the deadlock over the second border gate, but 
Turkish officials told us their position has not changed. 
Turkish fuel supplies for SOMO are in full swing again 
after SOMO made payments of $603 million against its 
arrears.  End Summary. 
 
Transportation Security 
----------------------- 
 
2.  (C) Acting Econ Counselor and Econoff met with MFA DDG 
for 
Bilateral Economic Relations Mehmet Gucuk and Section Head 
for Iraq Sedef Yavuzalp to discuss ongoing Turkish-Iraqi 
progress on economic issues.  The two sides are holding a 
series of meetings on consular issues, transportation 
security and the second border crossing.  On June 22-23, the 
two sides followed up for the second time to the November 
2004 trilateral (U.S.-Turkey-Iraq) Forum on Transportation 
Security.  This second meeting focused on the improvement 
in security (Turkish deaths in Iraq have declined 
dramatically) and discussed joint proposals for trucker 
rest areas and improved communication.  The transportation 
security working group meeting was headed on the Turkish 
side by Mehmet Gucuk and on the Iraqi side by Iraqi 
Ambassador Sabah Omran.  A translation of the agreed minutes 
will be faxed to EUR/SE.         . 
 
-- The two sides noted the recent decline in deaths among 
Turkish drivers.  Gucuk noted that trucker deaths in Iraq 
increased from 8 in 2003, 21 in the first six months of 
2004, to 46 in the second half of 2004, before declining to 
only 4 in the first half of 2005.  (The exact date when 19 
other drivers were killed has not been determined.) 
 
-- The Turkish side reported that it was no longer 
interested in the proposal agreed to at the first bilateral 
meeting to construct secure truck stops along the routes in 
Iraq.  Gucuk explained that Turkish trucking associations 
have raised concerns about whether the facilities could be 
constructed in time to help the near-term security problem, 
and many truckers voiced a concern that the secure truck 
stops would concentrate the trucks and therefore attract 
more attacks.  Iraqi Ambassador Omran told us that the 
Iraqi side was disappointed in Turkey's decision to pull 
out of the project. 
 
-- Both sides discussed other security enhancements, 
including a Turkish request that Iraqi authorities increase 
the number of security posts along the two routes (through 
Mosul and Erbil) into Iraq.  They also proposed that the 
two countries consider establishing a truck tracking 
system.  (Note:  Econoff has been working with Unisys, 
which provides a RF tracking system for the U.S. Army, to 
make a presentation to Turkish officials.) 
 
-- Gucuk reported that the Turkish government and Turkish 
insurance companies are nearing agreement on issuing 
insurance policies to cover damages to Turkish trucks while 
in Iraq.  The Turkish side asked for Iraqi cooperation to 
help the drivers document their damages in Iraq. 
 
-- The Iraqi side asked Turkish officials for badly-needed 
communication gear (walkie-talkies) for the soldiers 
providing protection for truck convoys.  Gucuk was somewhat 
surprised that the Iraqi security forces did not have even 
simple communications equipment.  The MFA has passed this 
request to the Turkish Armed Forces for evaluation but is 
skeptical about the idea of donating communication equipment 
without dealing with issues like training, maintenance, and 
integration with the Iraqis, existing equipment. 
 
Second Border Crossing 
---------------------- 
 
3.  (C) Gucuk said the two sides would meet July 26 to 
continue 
heretofore deadlocked discussions on 
the second border crossing.  He 
confirmed that Turkey's position has not changed.  The GOT 
still objects to any proposal that would mean building a 
second crossing that would funnel the traffic through the 
single route through Zakho.  He added that the GOT is 
considering a somewhat different crossing point, closer to 
the current Habur Gate than their last proposal, which could 
accommodate a crossing for vehicles and for trains.  He noted 
that the Turkish proposal, which includes a separate road 
network into Iraq west of Habur, was designed to reduce 
Barzani's control over traffic entering Iraq, although he 
admitted the proposed route would still pass through a 
portion of KDP-controlled territory.  He repeated the offer 
to 
guarantee that the KDP would continue to receive a certain 
level of revenue.  He said the Iraqi position on the second 
border crossing is controlled by Barzani, despite it being 
in the central government,s interest to get more of the 
revenue, and he claimed that some Iraqi officials in 
Baghdad have expressed their frustration with Barzani's 
unwillingness to compromise. 
Reduction in SOMO arrears 
------------------------- 
 
4. (U) Gucuk reported that SOMO's arrears to Turkish 
companies supplying Iraq with refined products has declined 
significantly and the Turkish companies have resumed 
deliveries.  He said SOMO made three payments totaling $603 
million, reducing the arrears to about $200 million. 
 
5.  (SBU) Comment:  Bilateral talks on transportation 
security are an indication of the gradual normalization 
between Turkey and the new Iraqi government.  One factor 
that has helped the progress in this area is the agreement 
of both sides to move the more difficult discussion of a 
second border crossing to a different forum.  Turkish 
officials tell us that they still expect to hold a second 
trilateral transportation security meeting with U.S. 
involvement, but there are currently no plans to hold one 
in the near future. 
 
Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
MCELDOWNEY