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