GOT PLANS TO SEND ONLY GENEVA-BASED

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001041 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2013 TAGS: AORC EAID PHUM PREL PGOV SZ TU SUBJECT: GOT PLANS TO SEND ONLY GENEVA-BASED REPRESENTATIVES TO SWISS CONFERENCE ON IRAQ REF: STATE 35667 Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Scot Marciel for reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). (C) Econoff delivered reftel demarche on the USG's decision not to participate in the February 15-16 Swiss conference on international humanitarian planning to Feza Ozturk, MFA Head of Department for International Political Organizations, on February 7. Ozturk agreed that the Swiss conference might not be productive, as it appears to have been hastily-organized and will likely coincide with a UNSC session on Iraq. However, he said the GOT would probably send Geneva-based representatives to the meeting, unless other governments from the region decided not to attend. Ozturk said it was virtually certain that no Ankara-based representatives would travel to Geneva for the conference. PEARSON