US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6100

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006100 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/06/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, MOPS, TU, IZ, Iraq 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY WANTS TO SEND HUMANITARIAN AID TO 
TALAFAR AND KIRKUK, SEEKS TO PARTICIPATE IN TALAFAR 
RECONSTRUCTION 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 5452 AND PREVIOUS 
 
     B. ANKARA 5209 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Thomas Goldberger for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see para. 7. 
 
Humanitarian Aid for Talafar and Kirkuk 
--------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) MFA Coordinator for Iraq and Afghanistan 
Reconstruction Amb. Koray Targay called in A/DCM Oct. 6 to 
inform us that Turkey wishes to provide humanitarian aid (HA) 
for Talafar during Ramadan.  (NOTE: Head of Department Sedef 
Yavuzalp subsequently informed us Oct. 7 that Turkey wishes 
to split this aid between Talafar and Kirkuk, with 
approximately 60% of the aid going to Talafar.  The GOT was 
thinking of sending primarily food unless we or the Iraqis 
determine an urgent need for non-food items.  END NOTE.) 
Targay noted in passing the complaints lodged by the Turkish 
Red Crescent when it delivered HA to Talafar last month 
(reftel), but chalked up some of these to hurried Turkish 
planning.  He viewed the September shipment as "a successful 
mission" despite these problems.  He asked that the GOT, USG, 
and ITG work together to make the next shipment a successful 
effort. 
 
3. (C) A/DCM urged that the GOT discuss this matter as soon 
as possible with the ITG in order to improve coordination. 
Targay agreed, noting that the GOT will discuss the issue 
with the ITG, and the Turkish Red Crescent will also 
coordinate with its Iraqi counterpart. 
 
Talafar Reconstruction: Water Project and Hospital 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
4. (C) Now that the operations in Talafar are winding down, 
Targay said Turkey wanted to reiterate its interest in 
contributing to the water project for Talafar and to 
providing equipment for Talafar's hospital.  Noting that 
Turkey was not yet prepared for security reasons to send a 
team to look at what it could do for the water project (see 
ref b), Targay asked if we could provide any feasibility 
study that has been done for this project so that Turkey can 
evaluate where it may be able to contribute in the near 
future. 
 
5. (C) Targay asked for our evaluation of the condition of 
Talafar's hospital.  He understood that the hospital building 
had been sound but that it lacked equipment, adding that 
Turkey was ready to contribute items such as MRI machines, 
incubators, etc.  Turkey may also be prepared to contribute 
to repairs to the building itself, if necessary. 
 
Immediate Need for Rubble Clearing Equipment 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) A/DCM noted that we had been in direct touch with the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Talafar, who identified for 
us some urgent heavy equipment needs to clear rubble; we 
handed the list to Targay.  He responded that the MFA will 
look into availability.  We noted that if Turkey were to 
offer this machinery as part of its aid package, Turkey would 
need to make the offer formally to the ITG.  However, it is 
possible that the USACE and the Turkish contractors may just 
want to make this a straight commercial transaction.  We are 
pursuing this with USACE while the Turks research their end. 
 
Action Request 
-------------- 
 
7. (C) We would appreciate guidance from Washington and 
Mission Iraq on the Turks' HA offer.  No doubt the Turks are 
calculating how their HA offer will play at home politically, 
but the humanitarian needs (at least in Talafar) are evident. 
 We would also appreciate guidance on the Turks' offers 
regarding the Talafar hospital and water project.  If there 
is a feasibility study available for the latter, please 
forward to us. 
MCELDOWNEY