US embassy cable - 03ANKARA3057

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003057 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR SA, EUR/SE, AND PMAT; OSD FOR ISA AND ISP 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, PTER, PGOV, MARR, MASS, MOPS, AF, TU 
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: TURKS INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING TO 
PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS; REQUEST FURTHER DETAILS 
BEFORE PROVIDING OFFICIAL OFFER 
 
REF: STATE 106694 
 
 
(U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Scot 
Marciel.  Reasons:  1.5 (B and D). 
 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  See para 4. 
 
 
2. (C) MFA Coordinator for Iraq and Afghanistan 
Reconstruction Ambassador Ahmet Okcun and DDG for South Asian 
Affairs Aydin Evirgen told us May 9 the MFA was interested in 
continuing Turkey's high-level participation in international 
security and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.  Okcun 
said the MFA wanted to contribute to Provincial 
Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in Afghanistan, including possibly 
leading one team.  Okcun said in addition to the information 
provided by the USG (reftel), the MFA had received a readout 
from the Turkish Embassy in Kabul of an April 23 meeting 
between EUR/ACE Ambassador Taylor and selected reps of local 
embassies on PRTs.  Okcun said the MFA also had received a 
paper that detailed the lessons learned from the setting up 
of the first PRT in Afghanistan. 
 
 
3. (C) Okcun said the GOT required additional information on 
PRTs before providing an official offer.  He added the 
answers to these questions would in part determine the size, 
composition and duration of a Turkish contribution. 
Furthermore, the answers might also help strengthen the hands 
of those within the GOT who want Turkey to continue to play a 
prominent role in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. 
Okcun said once the MFA received the addition information, it 
would circulate to the Turkish General Staff and other 
agencies a paper outlining possible Turkish contributions and 
seek a consensus position to provide to the US. 
 
 
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ACTION REQUEST 
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4. (C) Embassy requests the Department provide responses to 
questions raised by the MFA in para 5. 
 
 
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QUESTIONS 
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5. (C) Below are the questions raised by Ambassador Okcun: 
 
 
--Are countries required to offer sufficient personnel to 
staff an entire PRT (e.g. 50-60 persons), or can they offer a 
more limited number? 
 
 
--Has the US and/or the Afghan government identified specific 
types of personnel that are needed for each team?  If so, 
what type of individuals/skills are needed? 
 
 
--Are countries free to offer personnel for specific regions? 
 (Note:  Okcun said that for practical reasons -- including 
language and religion -- he would be interested in 
contributing personnel to "Turkish-speaking regions in 
Afghanistan."  He mentioned the presence of the Turkish 
Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif and the twice monthly Turkish 
military flights there as examples of practical reasons for 
deploying Turkish personnel to the north.  End note.) 
 
 
--What will be the status (e.g. diplomatic) of foreign 
countries' personnel in Afghanistan?  What if any immunities 
will they enjoy? 
 
 
--If the Turks are interested in leading a PRT, does the USG, 
based on its experience, have a recommended breakdown of 
personnel (e.g. civilian vs. military)?  (Note:  Okcun said 
the Turks were looking to the US for advice to avoid having 
to "reinvent the wheel."  End note.) 
 
 
--Who will fund the costs of the PRTs?  Will each country be 
responsible for financing the costs of deploying its 
personnel and sustaining them in country?  (Note:  Okcun said 
while he assumed each country would be responsible for costs 
associated with deployment/re-deployment of personnel and 
sustainment on the ground, he was less clear about such 
issues as communications, ground transportation and housing. 
End note.) 
 
 
--Does the USG, based on its experience, have an idea of the 
cost/month of running a PRT? 
--If Turkey were to decide to finance a contribution out of 
the GOT's pledge for Afghan reconstruction, would Turkey 
"still get credit" for its pledge? 
 
 
--What are the specific duties of the PRTs? 
 
 
--What is the relationship between the PRTs and the US 
military in Afghanistan?  Between the PRTs and the Afghan 
government?  Whom will the individual PRTs work for and to 
whom will they report? 
 
 
--Are PRTs responsible for financing and implementing 
projects, or simply supporting the projects funded by other 
organizations?  If the PRTs are expected to identify, fund 
and implement their own projects, what will be the sources of 
funding? 
PEARSON