US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8546

S E C R E T ANKARA 008546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR NP/CBM, EUR/SE, EUR/PRA, NEA/NGA AND INR/SPM 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2012 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, ETTC, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY EFFORTS TO STOP TURKISH ATROPINE EXPORTS 
TO IRAQ (S) 
 
REF: A. STATE 222715 
     B. STATE 172843 
     C. ANKARA 8314 
     D. ANKARA 6489 
 
 
Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch.  Reasons 1.5 B and D. 
 
 
1. (S) Post has expended substantial and sustained efforts to 
encourage the GOT to shut off potential for Iraqi acquisition 
of atropine from Turkey.  We offer the following chronology 
of our efforts: 
 
 
(S) May 2002 - Regional Affaires (RA) Office begins work on 
issue with GOT interlocutors.  Information exchange on-going 
to present time. 
 
 
(S) August 28 ) U/S Grossman raises with U/S Ziyal in 
Washington. 
 
 
(S) First week of Sept. ) DCM raises with MFA DG Kurttekin. 
 
 
(S) Sept. 10 ) Political Military Affairs (PMA) officer 
raises with MFA Iraq Desk, passes points including name and 
details of suspect Turkish firm per State 172843.  MFA says 
it will investigate.  ECON also delivers State 172843 points 
to MFA DG for Bilateral Economic Affairs. 
 
 
(S) Between Sept. 10 and Nov. 7 PMA made at least three 
follow-up calls to MFA.  No further information was provided. 
 
 
(S) Oct. 30 ) DCM raises with MFA DG Burcuoglu who, holding 
up his daily to-do list, says the issue is at top of his 
agenda. 
 
 
(S) Nov. 7 ) PMA Raises again with MFA DDG for Middle East 
per State 222715.  Gets no information but promise that 
results of ongoing investigation will be passed to us.  ECON 
raises with Acting DG for Agreements at Undersecretariat of 
Foreign Trade.  Gets no information. 
 
 
(U) Nov. 12 ) NYT runs story. 
 
 
(S) Nov. 14 ) PMA raises with MFA Disarmament Department 
Head.  He too was unable to provide any information. 
 
 
(S) Nov. 15 - PMA called into the MFA by Iraq Department 
Head, who provides info contained Ref C confirming that the 
first week of August, 44,000 atropine autoinjectors were sent 
from Turkey to Iraq, and stating no shipments had been made 
afterwards.  MFA stated that the effort to move the atropine 
had stopped completely after the MFA took action in late 
August/early September.  If there had been any attempt 
afterward, word had not reached the MFA. 
 
 
2. (S) Post intends to continue pressing the GOT for more 
information on this issue, using any available information. 
PEARSON