IRAQ: TURKISH READOUT OF DAMASCUS MEETING: SAUDIS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006923

SIPDIS


STATE ALSO FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/NGA


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2013
TAGS: PREL KU SY IZ TU IR EG JO SA
SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKISH READOUT OF DAMASCUS MEETING: SAUDIS,
KUWAITIS AND JORDANIANS RESIST REFERENCE TO UNSCR 1511


REF: A. STATE 305518

B. ANKARA 6779

C. KUWAIT 4988

D. DAMASCUS 6511


(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5 (b) and
(d).


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Summary
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1. (C) POLMILCOUNS called on MFA Deputy DG for Middle East
Safak Gokturk Nov. 5 for a readout of the Nov. 1-2 Damascus
meeting on Iraq. Gokturk, who had been at the Damascus
meeting, said Turkey worked hard to make the original Syrian
draft communique moderate and balanced, and found the meeting
useful for monitoring and influencing the views of Iraq's
other neighbors. Gokturk said the most surpising elements of
the discussion included: resistance by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait
and Jordan, but not Syria or Iran, to a Turkish suggestion to
refer in the communique to UNSCR 1511; Syrian opposition to
and Saudi insistence on mentioning the October Israeli
airstrike in Syria; and the desire of all but Turkey to focus
on early withdrawal of foreign forces before addressing
constitutional and election issues as spelled out in UNSCR

1511. He noted the next meeting in the series, to which the
IGC would be invited, would be hosted by Kuwait at date TBD.
Final text of Damascus Communique at para 8. End Summary.



2. (C) On November 5, POLMILCOUNS and POLMILOFF called on MFA
Deputy Director General for the Middle East Safak Gokturk
(protect throughout) for a readout of the Nov. 1-2 meeting of
Iraq's neighbors in Damascus. Gokturk had been part of the
Turkish delegation to Damascus and provided the following
information, requesting that we carefully protect the source.
Gokturk passed us a copy of the final Damascus communique
(text at para 8) and explained that this fourth meeting of
Iraq's neighbors had been a useful opportunity to compare
positions among seven countries with significantly different
viewpoints. Turkey, he said, had found each of the four
meetings useful for monitoring and influencing Iraq's other
neighbors. Gokturk said at the Damascus meeting, the Turks
played an influential role in moving the original Syrian
draft communique to a more moderate and balanced text,
negotiating the language until 2 a.m.


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Saudi/Kuwaiti/Jordanian Objection to 1511 Reference
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3. (C) Gokturk said that Turkey asked to insert an operative
paragraph in reference to UNSCR 1511 because the resolution
makes an explicit statement on the role of neighboring states
and Turkey wanted the meeting to play a role in line with the
UNSCR. To Turkey's surprise, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan
objected while Syria and Iran did not. In the end, all
Turkey could get was a mention of UNSCR 1511 in the chapeau
of the communique.



4. (C) In the communique's operative language, Gokturk
reported, the other participants wanted to lead with a call
for the early departure of foreign forces from Iraq. Turkey
pointed out that UNSCR 1511 and the Iraqi people both were
clear that the sequence should be the development of a
constitution, followed by elections, and then the withdrawal
of troops. Gokturk also said the original Syrian draft
stated that occupying powers should not blame their failures
on Iraq's neighbors -- language that Turkey was able to have
removed.


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Iran Raises Israeli Activity
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5. (C) According to Gokturk, Iran asked to insert text on
Israeli activity in Iraq, but Turkey and Kuwait argued that
this was not relevant to the substance of this kind of
document. The Iraians also proposed language on October's
Israeli airstrike in Syria. While Turkey had been clear in
its public opposition to the Israeli strike, Turkey objected
to including this in the Damascus communique on the grounds
that it diluted the text and would help neither the situation
in Iraq nor the Arab-Israeli process. Surprisingly, even
Syria said it did not want such language in an operative
paragraph, though it thanked Iran for the gesture of
proposing it. Saudi Arabia then insisted on a reference to
the strike and as a compromise, it was refered to in the
closing paragraph.

6. (C) Gokturk said that Turkey had offered the communique's
opening paragraph for balance and to signal that the IGC
would be welcome at the next meeting of the group. That
meeting will be hosted by Kuwait at a time to be determined.


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Iraq Invitation
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7. (C) The first subject ministers took up in a "ministers
only" session was the question of Iraqi participation in the
meeting. The ministers agreed to extend an invitation to
Iraqi FM Zebari via the Kuwaiti FM. Despite early
indications that Zebari would attend, the Turks, Gokturk
said, had been disappointed by Zebari's public declining of
the invitation, which, Gokturk said, Zebari called "too
little, too late."



8. (U) Begin Text of Damascus Communique:


FINAL STATEMENT OF THE MEETING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF
IRAQ'S NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES


Damascus-November 2, 2003


In response to the invitation extended by the Syrian Arab
Republic to hold a meeting for the neighboring countries of
Iraq with the objective to discuss the current developments
in Iraq and their repercussions at regional and international
level, the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Islamic Republic of
Iran, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Turkey, the
State of Kuwait and the Syrian Arab Republic held a meeting
in Damascus on Ramadan 7 1424 A.H., corresponding to November
2, 2003. The Ministers extended an invitation to the interim
Iraqi Foreign Minister to attend the meeting but they did not
receive a response; however, they expressed their hope that a
representative of Iraq could attend in their forthcoming
meetings.


The Ministers recalled their previous meetings held in
Istanbul on January 23, 2003, in Riyadh on April 18, 2003,
and in Tehran on May 28, 2003, and discussed the current
situation in Iraq as a contribution to the objective of
enhancing the unity and independence of Iraq and its
sovereignty over its territories and natural resources as
recognized by Security Council resolution 1511. Pursuant to
their deliberations, the Ministers agreed on:


a) Expressing their sympathy and full solidarity with the
Iraqi people in regard to the ordeal they suffer due to the
serious deterioration of the security, as well as, the
economic and living conditions.


b) Rejecting any measure that may lead to the disintegration
of Iraq, the Ministers reiterated their respect for
sovereignty, territorial integrity and political unity of
Iraq, and their commitment to the principle of
non-interference in its domestic affairs, and called upon all
others to do the same.


c) Emphasizing the right of the Iraqi people to freely
determine their political future, the importance to enhance
the United Nations' vital role in Iraq, especially in regard
to supervising the drafting of a constitution, carrying out
elections and setting up a timetable to accelerate the
transfer of authority to the Iraqis and end the occupation,
so as to enable them to regain their rights and sovereignty
over their territories.


d) Supporting the efforts of the Transitional Governing
Council in carrying out its transitional responsibilities
until the formation of an elected and fully representative
Iraqi government that fulfills the aspirations and interests
of the Iraqi people, and ensures equality for all citizens of
a united Iraq.


e) Reiterating the responsibilities of the occupying
authority in accordance with the relevant Security Council
resolutions and international law, especially the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949 with regard to the responsibilities
of the occupying forces in order to maintain security and
stability in Iraq, and rejecting any accusation against their
countries of interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq.
f) Condemning the terrorist bombings that target civilians,
humanitarian and religious institutions, embassies and
international organizations working in Iraq, and stressing
the necessity to identify their perpetrators and to hold them
accountable for their crimes.


g) Expressing their concern about the existence of terrorist
groups in Iraq and the threat that any other armed groups in
Iraq represents, the Ministers called upon the responsible
Iraqi authorities to cooperate with their countries to
eliminate this danger against the neighboring countries and
prevent any violation of the borders.


h) Bearing in mind the negative impact of instability and
lack of well-being of the Iraqi people on their national
interests, the Ministers decided to call on their
representatives at the United Nations to collectively follow
up their interaction with the UN role in Iraq.


The Ministers expressed their thanks to the Syrian Arab
Republic for holding this consultative meeting in Damascus,
and their appreciation for meeting with H.E. President Bashar
Al-Assad and for his views. They expressed their solidarity
with the Syrian Arab Republic regarding Israel exploiting the
regional developments in its aggression against the Syrian
territories. They also agreed that the meetings, initiated
by Iraq's neighboring countries, are worthy of support and
continuation to strengthen those objectives in the future.
The Ministers, therefore, decided to hold further meetings
until Iraq completely restores its sovereignty, security,
stability and ordinary life. They also welcomed the
invitation of the State of Kuwait to host the next meeting.


End Text.



9. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
EDELMAN