IRAQ: GOT DESIRES TO SHIP OFFICE FURNITURE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003913

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, AND PM. OSD AND CENTCOM -- PLEASE
PASS TO OCPA


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2013
TAGS: PREL MOPS TU IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ: GOT DESIRES TO SHIP OFFICE FURNITURE TO
IRAQI MFA UPON APPROVAL FROM OCPA

REF: ANKARA 3554


(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch.
Reasons: 1.5 (B and D).


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SUMMARY/ACTION REQUEST
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1. (C) The Turkish MFA has responded positively to requests
from the Iraqi MFA and the Iraqi Tribal Coalition to provide
these organizations office supplies. The MFA is prepared to
send these goods (via the Habur Gate) as soon as
authorization from OCPA is received. The MFA requests that
US authorities in Iraq take appropriate security measures to
help ensure safe passage for two Turkish drivers/trucks that
will transport the supplies. The Embassy would appreciate
notification from OCPA once authorization for the shipment of
the supplies is granted. End summary/action request.


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TURKS RESPOND POSITIVELY TO REQUEST FROM IRAQI MFA
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2. (C) The MFA sent the Embasy a diplomatic note late June 16
(see para 4 for text) notifying us that the MFA intended to
send office furniture and other supplies to the Iraqi MFA and
the Iraqi Tribal Coalition in Baghdad. MFA Iraq Department
Head Kerim Uras told us that the two Iraqi organizations had
asked that Turkey provide the supplies during the Turkish MFA
delegation's mid-May visit to Iraq (reftel). Uras said the
MFA had recommended that the two Iraqi organizations apply to
the OCPA to obtain the necessary permission for the MFA to
send the supplies to Iraq. Uras said he was uncertain
whether the two Iraqi organizations had applied for
permission, or whether OCPA had granted the permission. Uras
said that, in the meantime, the MFA wanted to send the office
supplies to Baghdad at the end of the week (June 19 or 20) in
anticipation of eventual permission.



3. (C) Pol-Mil officer stressed to Uras the importance of
coordinating all shipments into Iraq with OCPA and advised
that the MFA hold off on sending the shipments across the
Habur Gate until authorized by OCPA (MFA had wanted to store
the supplies at the Turkish Embassy pending OCPA approval).
Uras said the MFA recognized the importance of coordinating
fully with the USG on all matters related to Iraq, and agreed
to not send the supplies until authorization is granted.


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TEXT OF DIPLOMATIC NOTE
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4. (U) Begin text of diplomatic note number OAGY-II/165:


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States
of America and has the honor to inform the latter that the
Ministry will dispatch office furniture and stationary goods
to be used for the renovation and the refurnishment of the
Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the office of the Iraqi
Tribal Coalition, upon a request from the said organizations.




The Ministry has the honour to present a list of the office
furniture and the stationary goods and the names of the
drivers and the license plates of their vehicles. (Embassy
note: the list provided by the MFA is in Turkish and
therefore is not attached. We will provide a list in English
septel. End note.) The vehicles will enter Iraq from the
Habur-Ibrahim Khalil Border Gate on the 19th or 20th of June,

2003.


The Ministry requests the esteemed Embassy to kindly inform
the US forces in the region and in Baghdad to take
appropriate security measures for the safety of the drivers
and the vehicles that will travel through Iraq and enable
their swift and safe transit to Baghdad.


The Ministry of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Turkey
avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of
the United States of America the assurances of its highest
consideration.


Ankara, June 16, 2003
The names of the drivers: Ihsan Dagtan and Manaf Ozinekci


Plate numbers of the trucks: 21 ED 872 and 21 EA 340


End text.
PEARSON