US embassy cable - 03ANKARA3913

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003913 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, AND PM. OSD AND CENTCOM -- PLEASE 
PASS TO OCPA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ:  GOT DESIRES TO SHIP OFFICE FURNITURE TO 
IRAQI MFA UPON APPROVAL FROM OCPA 
 
REF: ANKARA 3554 
 
 
(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch. 
Reasons:  1.5 (B and D). 
 
 
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SUMMARY/ACTION REQUEST 
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1. (C) The Turkish MFA has responded positively to requests 
from the Iraqi MFA and the Iraqi Tribal Coalition to provide 
these organizations office supplies.  The MFA is prepared to 
send these goods (via the Habur Gate) as soon as 
authorization from OCPA is received.  The MFA requests that 
US authorities in Iraq take appropriate security measures to 
help ensure safe passage for two Turkish drivers/trucks that 
will transport the supplies.  The Embassy would appreciate 
notification from OCPA once authorization for the shipment of 
the supplies is granted.  End summary/action request. 
 
 
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TURKS RESPOND POSITIVELY TO REQUEST FROM IRAQI MFA 
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2. (C) The MFA sent the Embasy a diplomatic note late June 16 
(see para 4 for text) notifying us that the MFA intended to 
send office furniture and other supplies to the Iraqi MFA and 
the Iraqi Tribal Coalition in Baghdad.  MFA Iraq Department 
Head Kerim Uras told us that the two Iraqi organizations had 
asked that Turkey provide the supplies during the Turkish MFA 
delegation's mid-May visit to Iraq (reftel).  Uras said the 
MFA had recommended that the two Iraqi organizations apply to 
the OCPA to obtain the necessary permission for the MFA to 
send the supplies to Iraq.  Uras said he was uncertain 
whether the two Iraqi organizations had applied for 
permission, or whether OCPA had granted the permission.  Uras 
said that, in the meantime, the MFA wanted to send the office 
supplies to Baghdad at the end of the week (June 19 or 20) in 
anticipation of eventual permission. 
 
 
3. (C) Pol-Mil officer stressed to Uras the importance of 
coordinating all shipments into Iraq with OCPA and advised 
that the MFA hold off on sending the shipments across the 
Habur Gate until authorized by OCPA (MFA had wanted to store 
the supplies at the Turkish Embassy pending OCPA approval). 
Uras said the MFA recognized the importance of coordinating 
fully with the USG on all matters related to Iraq, and agreed 
to not send the supplies until authorization is granted. 
 
 
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TEXT OF DIPLOMATIC NOTE 
----------------------- 
 
 
4. (U) Begin text of diplomatic note number OAGY-II/165: 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States 
of America and has the honor to inform the latter that the 
Ministry will dispatch office furniture and stationary goods 
to be used for the renovation and the refurnishment of the 
Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the office of the Iraqi 
Tribal Coalition, upon a request from the said organizations. 
 
 
 
 
The Ministry has the honour to present a list of the office 
furniture and the stationary goods and the names of the 
drivers and the license plates of their vehicles.  (Embassy 
note: the list provided by the MFA is in Turkish and 
therefore is not attached.  We will provide a list in English 
septel.  End note.)  The vehicles will enter Iraq from the 
Habur-Ibrahim Khalil Border Gate on the 19th or 20th of June, 
2003. 
 
 
The Ministry requests the esteemed Embassy to kindly inform 
the US forces in the region and in Baghdad to take 
appropriate security measures for the safety of the drivers 
and the vehicles that will travel through Iraq and enable 
their swift and safe transit to Baghdad. 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Turkey 
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of 
the United States of America the assurances of its highest 
consideration. 
 
 
Ankara, June 16, 2003 
The names of the drivers: Ihsan Dagtan and Manaf Ozinekci 
 
 
Plate numbers of the trucks: 21 ED 872 and 21 EA 340 
 
 
End text. 
PEARSON