US embassy cable - 03ANKARA2195

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002195 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB, NSC FOR 
DWORKEN, MANN, KHALILZAD, QUANRUD, AND BRYZA 
DEPT PASS USAID FOR NATSIOS, DCHA/OFDA FOR GARVELINK, 
MCCONNELL, MARX, AND FARNSWORTH, ANE/AA FOR CHAMBERLAIN, 
USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/OFDA, DCHA/FFP, DCHA/OTI, 
DCHA/DG, ANE/AA AND USAID/AA 
ROME FOR FODOG, GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
EUCOM FOR J3, J5 AND POLAD 
CENTCOM FOR J3, J5 AND POLAD 
PACOM FOR POLAD 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AA, EAID, IZ, MOPS, PHUM, PREF, PREL, TU, WFP 
SUBJECT: NGO-IO COORDINATION MEETING IN ANKARA, 2 APRIL 
 
 
This cable was drafted by DART and cleared by Embassy. 
 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (U) UN OCHA hosted an NGO/IO coordination meeting on 2 
April at UN House in Ankara.  UN OCHA, UNHCR, UNDP, UNJLC, 
IFRC, the American Red Cross, nine NGOs and DART Field 
Office/North attended.  The UN reported that food and 
non-food items transited the Turkish-Iraqi border on 29 March 
and 1 April, and that additional food items are scheduled for 
delivery to northern Iraq the week of 6 April.  NGOs report 
no progress on their registration with the Turkish government 
(GOT) to either provide humanitarian assistance in Turkey or 
transit through to provide assistance in northern Iraq.  NGOs 
continue to look at other options for entering Iraq.  UN 
reports that local staff in northern Iraq have begun some 
assessment work, and UNSECOORD is prepared to begin a 
security assessment there when clearances are given. 
 
 
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UN Update 
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2. (U) UN reported that on 31 March three WFP trucks carrying 
wheat, soy and milk powder (WSM) transited into northern 
Iraq.  On 1 April two UNICEF trucks carrying HTH Chloride and 
medical kits transited.  Both shipments went to UN warehouses 
in Dohuk.  WFP currently has 70 additional truckloads of 
wheat flour scheduled for delivery the week of 6 April.  The 
flour will be transported to Dohuk, and eventually on to 
Arbil and Sulaimaniyah. 
 
 
3. (U) UN Operational Support Center for Turkey has a staff 
member assigned to the GOT Crisis Center in Diyarbakir.  UN 
reports that MFA is requesting one-week notice for its staff 
wishing to travel to southeastern Turkey. UN also noted that 
no travel is allowed beyond Diyarbakir without proper 
registration with the GOT.  The border is closed to 
journalists. 
 
 
4. (U) UN reports that it has contacted the GOT to discuss a 
humanitarian corridor into northern Iraq.  At the same time, 
they continue to investigate the possibility of using a 
Syrian corridor to move humanitarian supplies into Iraq. 
Transit and port fees in Syria remain an issue. 
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NGO Issues 
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5. (U) ID cards and who issues them remain concerns for NGOs 
planning to work in northern Iraq.  DART reported that the 
issues are also being discussed in Amman and Kuwait.  NGOs 
currently in Turkey are in favor of using their own 
organizations, ID cards, and not those issued by the U.S. 
military. 
 
 
6. (SBU) NGOs report no progress in the GOT registration 
process.  One NGO representative has left Turkey and will 
monitor the process from elsewhere in the region.  Another 
NGO representative is scheduled to leave on 5 April, and yet 
another has been instructed by headquarters to leave the week 
of 6 April if no progress is reported.  UN reported that the 
MFA and other GOT offices might meet to discuss the NGO 
registration process.  (Note: In a trilateral meeting between 
GOT, UN and USG on 3 April, MFA reported that permits to 
transit Turkey to work in northern Iraq will soon be granted 
to at least some of the NGOs that had filed applications to 
do so.) 
 
 
7. (SBU) An NGO looking at the possibility of using the 
Syrian corridor for entering northern Iraq was informed by 
contacts in Damascus that the corridor is closed to all 
except those who previously received permission to travel 
this route.  NGOs continue to investigate this avenue, 
however, as they receive conflicting information from 
contacts in northern Iraq.  Iran remains a possible entry 
point for some.  DART reported that Air Serv International, 
currently contracted to provide air transport services to 
USAID/OFDA, may be a better alternative for entering northern 
Iraq if transiting Turkey is not allowed.  U.S. military 
transport was also mentioned as a possibility. 
 
 
8. (U) UN informed NGOs that those wishing to partner with UN 
agencies in northern Iraq should contact the UN information 
management officer in Larnaca, Mr. Giorgio Saroti, for 
information on which UN agency would be appropriate for the 
NGO.  UN currently has sector working groups in northern Iraq 
that collaborate with local committees that review NGOs 
seeking to provide assistance in their area.  NGOs approved 
are then required to register with local authorities. 
 
 
-------------------- 
Northern Iraq Update 
-------------------- 
 
 
9. (U) UNSECOORD is awaiting clearances from Larnaca and 
Ankara (to transit) to conduct a security assessment of the 
Kurdish-controlled region of Iraq.  Two four-person teams are 
prepared to begin the assessment in Dohuk when clearances are 
received. 
 
 
10. (U) UNICEF local staff in northern Iraq have begun 
assessments on the IDP and water/sanitation issues in the 
region. 
 
 
11. (SBU) UN OCHA reports that fuel is being imported into 
northern Iraq from Iran.  Supplies have improved, but prices 
remain high. 
 
 
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Future Meetings 
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12. (U) The next NGO/IO coordination meeting will be held at 
UNHCR on 9 April at 1400 hrs.  DART will attend. 
 
 
PEARSON