IRAQ: TURKS SEEK MEETING WITH USG/CPA DELEGATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006145

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/30/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS ETRD ETTC TU IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKS SEEK MEETING WITH USG/CPA DELEGATION
IN ANKARA TO DISCUSS SECOND BORDER GATE


REF: A. ANKARA 6079

B. ANKARA 6028

C. ANKARA 5680


Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons 1.5 B and D.



1. (C) On October 1, MFA Economics Department Head Akif Ayhan
told PolMilOff that Turkish missions in Washington and
Baghdad would be demarching State and CPA respectively to
request a USG/CPA delegation with reps from Washington and
Baghdad come to Ankara in the near future to discuss with the
GOT prospects for opening a second border gate between Turkey
and Iraq. Ayhan said that MFA Undersecretary Ziyal expected
US and CPA reps to come to Ankara to discuss the modalities
and principles of opening a second gate, as well as issues of
logistics and political concerns about how this might be done
on the Iraqi side of the border. Ayhan asked that we pass
this request onto both CPA and State.



2. (C) Assuming such a delegation does come to Ankara, Post
strongly recommends including in it a representative from the
Iraqi Ministry of Interior who can speak authoritatively
about Iraqi plans for rules and regulations, as well as
staffing, for existing border crossings, and the process that
the Ministry would require for opening a new crossing,
whether on a temporary or permanent basis.



3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
EDELMAN