US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1487

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001487 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR NEA, NEA/NGA, EUR, EUR/SE; 
NSC FOR AMB. KHALILZAD 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2013 
TAGS: PREL, TU, IZ, Iraq 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: URGENT TURKEY-US-IRAQI OPPOSITION MEETING 
 
REF: STATE 61835 
 
 
Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson.  Reasons 1.5 b 
and d. 
 
 
1. (C) DCM conveyed to MFA Director General for Middle 
Eastern Affairs Tahsin Burcuoglu on March 8 reftel urgent 
request for Turkey to consider a meeting in the very near 
future of the US, Turkey and the Iraqi opposition, including 
the Iraqi Turkmen Front.  Burcuolgu said he had been 
expecting us to make this approach based on Amb. Logoglu's 
recent meeting with Amb. Khalilzad and the March 7 phone call 
between VPOTUS and PM Gul.  Burcuoglu asked about specifics 
regarding the timing, format, agenda and Iraqi participation 
beyond the KDP, PUK and ITF that the US had in mind.  DCM 
replied that we did not have specific details on these points 
apart from the content of reftel, that we would welcome 
Turkey's views, and that we would seek more details from 
Washington.  Burcuoglu said that format, agenda and 
composition of the group would be important to Turkey. 
 
 
2. (C) Burcuoglu noted that Turkey was aware that the 
Constitutional Monarchists, INA, INM and the Arab tribes were 
not happy about the Salahadeen opposition meeting and had not 
attended it.  He wondered whether we intended to include 
those groups.  He said he would try to reach Undersecretary 
Ziyal and Deputy Undersecretary Tuygan, and convey the US 
points to them for their consideration. 
 
 
3. (C) He also told DCM that Amb. Khalilzad mentioned to Amb. 
Logoglu that Turkish officers had been given access to 
detained ITF security officer Izzat.  Burcuoglu said this was 
not the case, according to all GOT information.  He asked 
that we ensure Washington was aware that Turkish officers had 
not yet had access to Izzat. 
PEARSON