TURKISH REQUEST FOR SECURE PASSAGE TO BAGHDAD -

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003022

SIPDIS


STATE FOR P, NEA CROCKER, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE;
NSC FOR KHALILZAD;
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH;
DAMASCUS FOR WALKER


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ
SUBJECT: TURKISH REQUEST FOR SECURE PASSAGE TO BAGHDAD -
TURKS PROCEEDING DESPITE U.S. DEMARCHE


REF: A. STATE 120356

B. STATE 114629

C. ANKARA 2982


(U) Classified by A/DCM Scot Marciel. Reasons: 1.5 (B and
D).



1. (C) Pol-Mil Counselor delivered Ref A demarche to MFA
Deputy Director General for the Middle East Safak Gokturk and
Iraq Deskoff Farhat Alkan May 8. Gokturk responded by saying
that the first Turkish convoy (carrying Turkey's Ambassador
to Iraq) had already left Ankara and would cross the Iraqi
border at Habur the morning of May 9, proceeding from there
to Baghdad. The second convoy, carrying their DCM, would
proceed as planned, crossing into Iraq May 14. Gokturk said
the Turks were going back for two reasons: by their count, 17
countries already had sent diplomats back to Baghdad; and the
GOT wanted to have their own eyes and ears in Baghdad now.



2. (C) Gokturk said he was unaware of any plans to travel
outside of Baghdad once their staff was back, and said that
establishing consulates in other cities would be a long-term
project that would not begin in the near future.



3. (C) Referring to our point about the Coalition reserving
the right to expel anyone who interfered with Coalition
activities, Gokturk said he hoped that point was boilerplate
for all countries and that we did not anticipate any trouble
from the Turkish diplomats. The Turks certainly did not
intend to create any difficulty for the Coalition.
PEARSON