TURKISH ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ

UNCLAS ANKARA 004755 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB - JOHN FINN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID IZ TU SUBJECT: TURKISH ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQ REF: A. STATE 214593 ¶B. ANKARA 2549 ¶1. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. ¶2. (U) Foreign Ministry officials have advised that the GOT would pledge $5 million in assistance to Iraq this year. That pledge includes $1 million to the UN under the Flash Appeal, with the remainder to fund bilateral assistance, including through the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) and NGOs. Actual contributions to date involve several convoys sent by the TRC and the Anatolian Development Foundation to deliver food, water and medicines to hospitals and the Iraqi Red Crescent in northern Iraq as well as Baghdad. These were unilateral contributions, not coordinated with the USG or ICRC, and we have not been able to verify their value. ¶3. (U) In addition, the GOT has proposed several in-kind contributions (value unknown, except where noted),some of which were discussed during FM Gul's visit to Washington last week: -- Provision of office furniture and computers to the Iraqi MFA, Baghdad University and other institutions (worth $70,000 TO 100,000); -- Training Iraqi firefighters, customs officers, police and medical personnel. Turkey also offered to accept some Iraqi cadets for Turkish military training. -- Offer of experts to help staff the OCPA; -- Loan of a 300-line mobile phone switchboard to a Turkmen NGO for use in the Mosul-Tal Afar-Kirkuk area; -- Rehabilitation/construction and equipment for hospitals in Baghdad and Kirkuk, plus a field hospital (amount unknown, but to be funded out of $4 million pledge for bilateral assistance); --Assistance with the water distribution system, roads, sewerage and medical supplies in Tal Afar, to be delivered through the TRC and NGOs; -- Inspect rail track and donate locomotives and carriages to reactivate the Turkish-Iraqi rail connection; -- Working with Turkish, Iraqi and American universities to foster exchanges. ¶4. (U) Embassy is scheduled to meet with MFA Coordinator for Iraq Reconstruction Ahmet Okcun July 29, and may be able to provide additional details after that meeting. DEUTSCH