NGO-IO COORDINATION MEETING IN ANKARA, 2 APRIL

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.


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Northern Iraq Update
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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