TURKEY PLANS TO AUGMENT AFGHAN PROVINCIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005208 SIPDIS STATE FOR SA AND EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MASS MOPS PTER TU AF SUBJECT: TURKEY PLANS TO AUGMENT AFGHAN PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAMS, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT WARLORDS REF: A. STATE 144161 ¶B. ANKARA 3057 ¶C. STATE 106694 (U) Classified by Acting PM Counselor Harry Kamian, reasons 1.5, b/d. ¶1. (U) Kabul minimize considered. ¶2. (C) Turkish MFA DG for Mideast Affairs Burcuoglu told Charge August 14 that Turkey had decided to augment either the UK Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Mazar-e-Sharif or the German one in Konduz. He said his office would be contacting TGS as well as the British and German embassies to begin planning for the Turkish contribution. ¶3. (C) In addition, Burcuoglu expressed concern that Afghan Minister of Defense Fehim Han and forces loyal to him, including Ustat Ata, have been conducting a propaganda campaign against Gen. Dostum. The GOT is concerned that Fehim Han and "other warlords" are determined to get rid of Dostum because the latter is "clearly on the side of the Bonn Process" and has tried to stem the trafficking of arms from Pakistan. The GOT is concerned the campaign against Dostum could escalate to military clashes. The GOT was advising Dostum to avoid provocative action and hoped that the USG was applying similar pressure to rival warlords and supporting those figures dedicated to peace in Afghanistan. EDELMAN