US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6099

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006099 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, TU, Iraq 
SUBJECT: (S) IRAQ:  TURKEY ENCOURAGES SUNNI PARTICIPATION, 
MEETS WITH SADRISTS 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR JANICE WEINER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D). 
 
1.  (U)  This is an action request.  See para 5. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
2. (S/NF)  MFA Director General for the Middle East and South 
Asia Oguz Celikkol briefed us October 7 on recent GOT 
contacts with Iraqi Sunni representatives as well as two 
envoys from Muqtada al-Sadr.  Celikkol said the GOT urged the 
Sunnis to participate in the political process and not repeat 
their past mistakes.  The al-Sadr representatives asked if 
they could open an office in Ankara to improve contacts with 
the GOT.  They reportedly told the MFA they are willing to 
participate in the political process, share common ground 
with the Sunnis on the importance of Iraqi unity, support 
Iraq's Arab identity, fear that the Kurds are overrunning 
Kirkuk, and fear Iranian penetration in Iraq.  Celikkol 
expressed interest in U.S. perceptions of the Sadrists and 
explicitly requested our assessment of their political reach 
and intentions.  End Summary. 
 
Turks to Sunnis:  Don't Make Same Mistake Twice 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
3.  (C/Rel MCF-I) Celikkol told Poloff and PolMiloff that, in 
meetings the last week of September with visiting Sunni 
leaders Tariq al Hashemi (Iraqi Islamic Party) and Salih 
Mutlaq (National Dialogue Council) in Ankara, the MFA 
strongly encouraged Sunni participation in the constitutional 
referendum and December elections.  The Sunnis were told the 
GOT would have little sympathy for them if they "repeated 
their mistake," of not participating in the political 
process.  In a separate discussion, MFA Iraq Director Avni 
Botsali told Poloff the Sunnis heard the message but 
reiterated their concerns about constitutional provisions on 
the use of Arabic and the indivisibility of the Iraqi state. 
Botsali added the GOT is also encouraging the Kurds at every 
opportunity to maintain contact with the Sunnis, especially 
during the process of developing implementing legislation 
once the constitution is approved. 
 
Turks Meet Visiting al-Sadr Reps 
-------------------------------- 
 
4.  (S/NF) Celikkol said the MFA had met recently with 
Muqtada al-Sadr representatives Sheikh Saad al-Jabr (name as 
heard), a political advisor to al-Sadr, and Sheikh Fatel 
abu-Zayed al-Dakel, head of the Sharia court.  The al-Sadr 
representatives asked about the possibility of opening an 
office in Turkey to improve contacts with the Turkish 
government.  (Note: The PUK, KDP, SCIRI, and the Iraqi 
Turkmen Front all have offices in Ankara.  End note.) 
Celikkol said the MFA is considering this request "in a 
positive light."  Celikkol said that, in discussions with him 
and GOT Special Envoy for Iraq Koruturk, the two al-Sadr 
representatives came across as "intelligent and moderate," 
which pleasantly surprised the Turkish side.  The two 
appeared well-informed and stressed that al-Sadr supporters 
want to participate in the political process despite enduring 
misgivings about the current draft constitution.  According 
to Celikkol, they are concerned about growing Iranian 
influence and suggested they are willing to work with the 
Sunnis to counter this.  In general, they took an "Arab 
nationalist" approach, fearing the fracture of Iraq and 
sharing many ideas in common with the Sunnis.  In that 
regard, they look at the Badr group with skepticism, 
regarding them as a foreign force in Iraq. Celikkol further 
reported the representatives stressed Kirkuk belongs to the 
whole nation.  They claimed al-Sadr has the allegiance of 
70-80 percent of Iraq's Shiites.  (Comment:  The Turks shared 
our skepticism on the last point.  End Comment.) 
 
5.  (S/NF) Action Request: Celikkol asked if the U.S. and 
Turkey could share, on a confidential basis, our respective 
views on al-Sadr and assessments of the group's influence and 
intentions in Iraq.  Emboffs promised to look into what we 
could share in that area.  Celikkol seemed to prefer we share 
notes in Ankara but Washington or Baghdad would seem more 
logical to us.  He asked that we keep secret the fact that he 
discussed his meeting with the Sadrists with us. 
 
6.  (S/NF) Comment:  The Turks seemed impressed and intrigued 
by the al-Sadr envoys, who appeared willing to be 
constructive in Iraq and who appeared to share deeply-held 
GOT concerns regarding the potential for Iraq's fracture and 
growing Iranian influence.  End comment. 
MCELDOWNEY