US embassy cable - 03ANKARA947

S E C R E T ANKARA 000947 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA; 
NSC FOR RICE AND HADLEY; OSD FOR DEPSECDEF 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, TU, IZ, Iraq 
SUBJECT: IRAQ AND TURKEY: "AGREED MINUTE" VS. JOINT 
STATEMENT ON POLITICAL FUTURE OF IRAQ 
 
 
REF: ANKARA 954 
 
 
 (U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson.  Reasons: 
1.5 (B and D). 
 
 
1. (S) While Reftel meeting was taking place, Presidential 
Special Envoy Khalilzad met with MFA Deputy U/S Tuygan to 
discuss the MOU/Joint Statement issue further.   Tuygan asked 
the US to reconsider its opposition to an MOU on the 
political future of Iraq.  Khalilzad said that his current 
instructions did not allow that and he would have to report 
the request and get back to Tuygan.  He added that Washington 
was opposed to a formal legalistic document and preferred a 
joint statement. 
 
 
2. (S) Tuygan said he had shared all of this with his 
authorities who responded, "we are going to war.  We are 
taking hard political steps as well.  Agreeing to an MOU on 
this shouldn't be a problem."  Tuygan pointed out that a new 
poll showed 94 percent of the Turkish population was opposed 
to a war with Iraq, and the PM's basic argument with his 
party, the Parliament and the opposition was focused on the 
need to safeguard Turkey's interests the day after, hence the 
need for the MOU.  Tuygan said there were two important 
issues for Turkey: 1) the political future and inclusion of 
the Iraqi Turkmen; and 2) that Turkey should have a place in 
all international structures dealing with Iraq.  "We don't 
intend to run Iraq, but we need to show people that this time 
Turkey will have a say like other major participants." 
 
 
3. (S) Tuygan then was called out of the room to confer 
briefly with MFA U/S Ziyal.  He returned and said that on an 
ad ref basis pending the FM and PM's approval, Amb. Khalilzad 
could check with Washington to see if we could use the 
proposed Turkish text as "an agreed minute." 
 
 
4. (S) Post will secure fax text to NEA Front Office.  Reftel 
reports that the Turks also suggested to Amb. Pearson a joint 
statement of political principles as an alternate format.  We 
seek Washington guidance on concept and format by OOB Ankara 
time Feb. 7.  Amb. Khalilzad believes each option has merit, 
though he leans toward a joint statement of principles as a 
preferred option. 
PEARSON