IRAQ: TURKISH DELEGATION TO PULSE IRAQIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007952 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2013 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR TU IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKISH DELEGATION TO PULSE IRAQIS Classified by A/DCM James Moore. Reasons 1.5 b and d. ¶1. (C) This is an action request. See para 3. ¶2. (C) MFA DDG for Mideast Affairs Safak Gokturk called PolMilCouns 12/24 to inform him that a GOT delegation was planning to travel to Iraq on a fact-finding mission to meet with a broad range of contacts. Planning for the trip was in the initial stages, but Gokturk said the visit would likely occur after January 9. Gokturk cited a suggestion apparently posed by DepSecDef Wolfowitz to MFA U/S Ziyal during the latter's recent visit to Washington -- that Turkish officials may be able to elicit from Iraqis a more complete opinion on the US occupation than Iraqis might be willing to offer directly to US officials. Gokturk said he was instructed to ask whether there were any specific questions or issues on which the USG would like the delegation to pulse Iraqis. He asked that we submit our inquiries to him by January 3, if possible. If not, sometime the week of January 5. ¶3. (C) Action Request: Please provide questions/issues Washington and/or Baghdad would like the Turks to raise with the Iraqis. ¶4. (U) Baghdad Minimize Considered. EDELMAN