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