US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6463

UNCLAS ANKARA 006463 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, TU, Iraq 
SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ:  SECOND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY 
PRESS STATEMENT ON IRAQ REFERENDUM 
 
REF: ANKARA 06325 
 
1.  The Turkish Foreign Ministry published the following 
press statement on October 27 with reference to the Iraqi 
constitutional referendum.  A previous statement was 
published October 17 (reftel).  This statement emphasizes the 
importance of free and fair elections in December and the 
international community's responsibility in this regard. 
It also mentions the new Iraqi government's priority task of 
amending the constitution to remove "flaws and deficiencies." 
 Turkey will once again facilitate Iraqi citizens in Turkey 
being able to vote in December.  Informal embassy translation 
follows. 
 
2.  Begin text. 
 
The Iraq Independent Election Commission yesterday officially 
announced that the new constitution was accepted as a result 
of the referendum held on October 15, 2005. 
 
The views of our country regarding the constitutional process 
and referendum were expressed in our previous statements. 
 
We welcome the fact that an important stage of a political 
process has been reached with the aim of Iraq's transition to 
a democratic structure while preserving the country's 
territorial integrity and political unity. 
 
At the stage that has been reached, and for this process to 
proceed in the desired direction, the general elections that 
will be held across the country in December are important. 
For the balances represented by all layers of Iraqi society 
to be appropriately reflected in the new parliament, it is 
extremely important that these elections be held in a fair, 
transparent way and that there be no manipulation. 
 
It appears that one of the priorities of the new parliament 
to be elected is to correct the flaws and deficiencies in the 
new Iraqi constitution that was adopted through the October 
15 referendum and realize those amendments that would make 
this constitution a document which guarantees the unity and 
integrity of the country and which is sincerely supported by 
all sectors of society. 
 
On this occasion, we reiterate our view that, for the 
elections to be held as described above, the international 
community has an important duty and we confirm that we will 
continue to provide our support to our brothers in 
neighboring Iraq -- which has been seeking peace, stability 
and democracy -- in every possible area. 
 
In the context of this understanding and as a result of the 
request conveyed by the Interim Iraqi Government asking that 
Iraqis living in Turkey be able to vote as they did during 
the January 30, 2005 elections, we have decided to make the 
necessary arrangements to provide such an opportunity to 
Iraqis living in our country. 
 
End Text. 
MCELDOWNEY