Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA2572
2003-04-21 13:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
UPDATE ON TURKEY'S COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS ANKARA 002572
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EB/IFD/ODF, SA/RA, SA/PAB, EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL EFIN AF TU
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON TURKEY'S COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN
RECONSTRUCTION
REF: ANKARA 356
UNCLAS ANKARA 002572
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EB/IFD/ODF, SA/RA, SA/PAB, EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL EFIN AF TU
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON TURKEY'S COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN
RECONSTRUCTION
REF: ANKARA 356
1. (U) Summary. Amb. Ahmet Okcun, MFA Coordinator for
Afghanistan Reconstruction, told us that per Afghan Minister
of Trade, Turkey is Afghanistan's largest source of foreign
investment with 30 companies and over $200 million invested.
GOT's commitment remains modest at $3 million. End Summary.
2. (U) Amb. Okcun reiterated to Econ Officer (4/18) GOT's
commitment to "keeping its promise" on Afghanistan
Reconstruction. Turkey has committed $3 million (Ref A).
Okcun divided Turkey's more robust private sector efforts
into three categories:
-- Contractors: At least half of the 30 Turkish companies
registered in Afghanistan to work as contractors or
"partners" have opened offices there.
-- Investments: The Afghan Minister of Trade told Okcun that
Turkey tops the list of foreign investors in Afghanistan,
with investments exceeding $100 million in construction and
$115 million in other investments. Okcun has not received a
requested itemized accounting of these investments, many of
which are linked to U.S. companies.
-- Trade: Okcun says that Turkey has agreements with
Afghanistan's northern neighbors as a trade line for bringing
products into Afghanistan. Despite the relative costliness
of Turkish products, they sell well, he says.
3. (SBU) Following-up on the High Level Strategic Forum in
Brussels in March, Okcun was very highly impressed with the
size and level of the U.S. delegation but was greatly
disappointed that the meeting raised so few new contributions
and involved so few Minister-level participants. He
expressed specific concern that the world's attention would
shift to Iraq and abandon both Turkey and Afghanistan in
their reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
4. (U) Comment: In addition to responsibilities for Afghan
Reconstruction, Amb. Okcun will assume interagency GOT
coordination of Iraq Reconstruction.
PEARSON
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPARTMENT FOR EB/IFD/ODF, SA/RA, SA/PAB, EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL EFIN AF TU
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON TURKEY'S COMMITMENT TO AFGHANISTAN
RECONSTRUCTION
REF: ANKARA 356
1. (U) Summary. Amb. Ahmet Okcun, MFA Coordinator for
Afghanistan Reconstruction, told us that per Afghan Minister
of Trade, Turkey is Afghanistan's largest source of foreign
investment with 30 companies and over $200 million invested.
GOT's commitment remains modest at $3 million. End Summary.
2. (U) Amb. Okcun reiterated to Econ Officer (4/18) GOT's
commitment to "keeping its promise" on Afghanistan
Reconstruction. Turkey has committed $3 million (Ref A).
Okcun divided Turkey's more robust private sector efforts
into three categories:
-- Contractors: At least half of the 30 Turkish companies
registered in Afghanistan to work as contractors or
"partners" have opened offices there.
-- Investments: The Afghan Minister of Trade told Okcun that
Turkey tops the list of foreign investors in Afghanistan,
with investments exceeding $100 million in construction and
$115 million in other investments. Okcun has not received a
requested itemized accounting of these investments, many of
which are linked to U.S. companies.
-- Trade: Okcun says that Turkey has agreements with
Afghanistan's northern neighbors as a trade line for bringing
products into Afghanistan. Despite the relative costliness
of Turkish products, they sell well, he says.
3. (SBU) Following-up on the High Level Strategic Forum in
Brussels in March, Okcun was very highly impressed with the
size and level of the U.S. delegation but was greatly
disappointed that the meeting raised so few new contributions
and involved so few Minister-level participants. He
expressed specific concern that the world's attention would
shift to Iraq and abandon both Turkey and Afghanistan in
their reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
4. (U) Comment: In addition to responsibilities for Afghan
Reconstruction, Amb. Okcun will assume interagency GOT
coordination of Iraq Reconstruction.
PEARSON