DART: MARCH 18 NGO COORDINATION MEETING IN ANKARA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001799

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, SOJ7 AND POLAD
CENTCOM FOR J3, J5 AND POLAD
PACOM FOR POLAD
GENEVA FOR RMA


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2013
TAGS: AA EAID EFIN IZ MOPS PHUM PREF PREL TU WFP
SUBJECT: DART: MARCH 18 NGO COORDINATION MEETING IN ANKARA


REF: ANKARA 1380


Classified by DART for Reasons 1.5(B) and (D).


This cable was draft by Disaster Assistance Response Team
(DART) Field Office/North and cleared by Embassy Ankara.


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Summary
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1. (C) On March 18, DART Field Office/North facilitated the
first coordination meeting among Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs),the United Nations (U.N.),and USG
humanitarian personnel in Ankara, Turkey. Representatives
from ten NGOs were in attendance, namely: Mercy Corps
International (MCI),Action Against Hunger/France (ACF),
International Medical Corps (IMC),Oxfam/UK, Northwest
Medical Team (NWMT),American Red Cross (AmRC),World Relief,
CARE International, International Rescue Committee (IRC),and
Save the Children/US (SCF/US). U.N. High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.N. Office for the Coordination for
Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) officials were in attendance
on behalf of the U.N. Four DART Field Office/North members
and the Embassy MDRO took part in the coordination meeting on
behalf of the USG.



2. (C) The two-hour meeting covered overall humanitarian
coordination issues, the reluctance of the U.N. to facilitate
future meetings, and an opportunity for NGOs to outline the
steps they have taken to register with the Government of
Turkey (GOT),as well as provide information on the sectors
that they are focusing on. NGOs expressed the need to
continue these coordination meetings on a regular basis, and
DART Field Office/North will facilitate a second coordination
meeting the morning of March 22. Additionally, the NGO
community expressed the desire to meet with U.S. military
personnel to discuss the dissemination of information on
security issues. NGOs are also seeking information on
organizations that will respond to a potential Chemical or
Biological attack on civilian populations.


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U.N. Reluctance to Coordinate NGO Meetings
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3. (C) UN OCHA is willing to track the transit and
registration process and lobby on behalf on NGOs with the GOT
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). However, UN OCHA
indicated that they are unable, at this time, to coordinate
any meetings with unregistered NGOs because the GOT insists
that only registered NGOs participate in U.N. facilitated
coordination meetings. UN OCHA stressed they are willing to
continue to
be an observer at future NGO coordination discussions.
Several NGOs voiced concern over the U.N.,s reluctance to
host future NGO coordination meetings, and UNHCR and UN OCHA
indicated
that they would take the issue up with the U.N. Resident
Coordinator. DART Field Office/North urged U.N.
representatives to host NGO coordination meetings for issued
related to humanitarian assistance in northern Iraq.


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Current Registration Process
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4. (U) Based on information provided by NGOs during the
coordination meeting, NGOs, in addition to applying for a
transit permit and registration license, must now submit a
request to the MFA for a crisis permit as well. NGOs voiced
frustration that the process for providing humanitarian
assistance now requires three separate applications; transit,
registration, and crisis permits. NGOs asked if UN OCHA
could provide guidance to all organizations seeking to
register with the GOT. UN OCHA is discussing the matter
internally and will provide an update at the next
coordination meeting.


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Update on the NGO Registration Process
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5. (U) Each NGO presented a brief overview of the status of
their registration with the MFA, as well as some indication
of the area and/or sectors that they are focusing on:



A. International Rescue Committee ) IRC submitted both
their transit permit and registration documents to the MFA on
March 10. They are looking at providing assistance to
northern Iraq, with a focus on primary health, children,s
issues, and water and sanitation.



B. International Medical Corps ) IMC submitted both a
transit and registration application to the MFA on March 12.
They would like to focus on primary health care and health
education in northern Iraq.



C. Mercy Corps International ) MCI just arrived in Ankara
and is working to draft transit and registration materials to
submit to the MFA. MCI indicated that they have a strong
working relationship with Peace Winds/Japan, an international
NGO currently working in northern Iraq.



D. Action Against Hunger ) ACF has no plans to establish
an office or transit goods through Turkey. ACF sent a
representative to Ankara in case of a refugee crisis within
Turkey and they will focus on nutrition if such a crisis
presents itself.



E. Oxfam/UK ) Oxfam/UK is in discussions with UNHCR to
provide emergency water and sanitation services in refugee
camps on the Turkish side of the border. If the Turkish
military plans on crossing the border, Oxfam/UK made it very
clear that they will not apply for a transit permit with the
MFA.



F. Northwest Medical Team ) NWMT applied for a transit
permit on March 18 and will focus on primary health concerns
beyond any potential Turkish buffer zone in northern Iraq.



G. American Red Cross ) AmRC has had a relationship with
the Turkish Red Crescent for three years and is in a position
to provide technical assistance to the Red Crescent if needed.



H. World Relief ) World Relief is submit their
registration documents with the MFA, but has yet to do so.
They are not looking at transiting goods through Turkey, but
intend to establish an office to provide technical assistance
to
local NGOs.



I. CARE International ) CARE arrived in Ankara on March
16 and is looking into the possibility of obtaining both a
transit permit and registration license.


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Future Coordination Meetings
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6. (C) NGOs expressed the need to continue coordination
meetings on a regular basis. Due to the U.N.,s reluctance
to facilitate meetings with unregistered organizations, DART
Field Office/North will facilitate a second coordination
meeting on March 22. Additionally, the NGO community
expressed the desire to meet with U.S. Military personnel
on March 22 to discuss the dissemination of information on
security issues. NGOs are also seeking information on
organizations that will respond to a potential CBRNE attack
on civilian populations. DART Field Office/North is
attempting to arrange for U.S. military personnel to meet
with NGOs and is seeking guidance from OFDA/Washington on
Chemical and Biological response concerns through separate
channels.
PEARSON