GOT OFFICIALS ON IRAQ SANCTIONS IMPLEMENTATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003172 SIPDIS DEPT FOR L/UNA, EB/ESC, IO/UNP, EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2013 TAGS: ETRD ETTC IZ PREL TU SUBJECT: GOT OFFICIALS ON IRAQ SANCTIONS IMPLEMENTATION REF: STATE 123640 (U) Classified by Acting Economic Counselor Robert Silverman for reasons 1.5 B, D. ¶1. (C) Emboffs met with MFA and Foreign Trade Undersecretariat officials to obtain information on Turkish implementation of Iraq sanctions as requested reftel. Although our interlocutors cautioned that they could not provide definitive answers on how quickly Turkish sanctions against Iraq would be lifted once a new UN Security Council resolution is passed, they opined that new legislation would not be required and that the process would take place quickly. ¶2. (C) Tevfik Mengu, Director General for Agreements at the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat, told Econoff that MFA rather than U/S Foreign Trade had the lead on this issue. However, he opined that new legislation would not be necessary to implement the resolution. Mengu suggested that a customs circular or publication of the resolution in the State Gazette would be sufficient, and that the change could be implemented within 24 hours of a UNSC vote. ¶3. (C) Akif Ayhan, Head of Department at MFA's Bilateral Economic Affairs Department, also suggested that new legislation would not be needed to lift sanctions, and that the change could be effected within days of a UNSC resolution. He noted that, while MFA would inform all relevant Turkish agencies of the final resolution, Foreign Trade would be responsible for implementing any change in sanctions policy. Serra Erarslan, MFA Iraq office director, told POLOFF on May 12 that she would check on whether legislation would be required to bring the resolution into force and provide further information to the Embassy. PEARSON