IRAQ: TURKEY'S "PEACE INITIATIVE" - SCHEDULING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000484

SIPDIS


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


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ PHUM PREF UNSC
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY'S "PEACE INITIATIVE" - SCHEDULING
PROBLEMS, JAN. 23 MAY BE PREP SESSION ONLY, KUWAITIS NOT
INVITED

REF: A. STATE 16544

B. ANKARA 461

C. ANKARA 302

D. ANKARA 201


(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5 (B and
D).



1. (C) DCM delivered Ref A points concerning the Turkish
peace initiative to the Prime Minister's Diplomatic Advisor
Turkoglu and to MFA Director General for the Middle East
Burcuoglu on 1/20. They each welcomed our views and
reiterated that it is the GOT's intent to send a strong
message to Iraq on the need to comply with the UNSCRs. They
noted scheduling problems in achieving the desired summit and
said that the Jan. 23 meeting may be a preparatory session.



2. (C) On the issue of Kuwait each said that Kuwait's absence
was intentional. The Turks believed the initiative would be
more effective that way. Burcuoglu went on to characterize
Kuwait as a party to the conflict with Iraq and therefore
lacking potential to add weight to the initiative with the
Iraqi's. He noted that Iran had argued in favor of including
Kuwait while the Syrians were opposed. Since the subject was
controversial, he said it was best to levave the Kuwaitis
out. Burcuoglu said he had discussed the question with the
Kuwaiti Ambassador here and that the GOK did not object to
the formulation. Turkey welcomed Kuwait's understanding.



3. (C) DCM responded that considering Kuwait a party to the
"conflict" and therefore disqualified was just the kind of
"balance" we were concerned could creep into any declaration.
This was not a conflict between Iraq and Kuwait, or Iraq and
the US. It was a threat to international peace that
concerned all of us. In seeking to find a peaceful
resolution, there could be no equivalence between Iraq's
responsibility and the international community's right to
insist on full compliance and cooperation.
PEARSON