IRAQ: TURKISH DELEGATION TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003078 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, PMAT. JCS FOR J5. EUCOM FOR J5, AND POLAD. CENTCOM FOR J5 AND POLAD; E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKISH DELEGATION TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ TO MEET WITH KDP/PUK, TURKMEN REF: ANKARA 2982 (U) Classified by Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Scot Marciel. Reasons: 1.5 (B and D). ¶1. (C) MFA Deputy Director General for Middle East Affairs Safak Gokturk informed us May 12 that Turkey intends to send a three-person "specialized" team to northern Iraq (Mosul, Irbil and Kirkuk) to meet with KDP, PUK and Turkmen leadership. The team is planning to fly from Ankara (via Turkish Airlines) to either Diyarbakir or Mardin (plans still being coordinated) and cross the Habur Gate (via ground transportation) into northern Iraq May 14 in the morning (Ankara time). The MFA already has informed Ankara-based KDP and PUK reps, and asked if Barzani and Talabani would be available. Gokturk said the team also intends to travel to Baghdad to meet with newly arrived TU embassy staff. ¶2. (C) The team consists of: --AMB Selim Karaosmanoglu: MFA Director General for the Balkans. MFA's "political coordinator for Iraq." Formerly Turkey's ambassador to Iraq before Mehmet Akat (who served before current Amb. Osman Paksut). --AMB Ecvet Tezcan: MFA Director General for Intelligence and Research (INR). Former TU Amb. in Baku and DDG for INR (when INR had the lead for northern Iraq issues). --Kerim Uras: MFA Department Head for Iraq. ¶3. (C) Gokturk asked us to convey this information to US military authorities in Iraq. He promised to provide additional details (e.g. automobile license plates, personnel, equipment, etc.) as the MFA had done when Turkish Amb. Paksut's group crossed Habur Gate last week (reftel). PEARSON