AFGHANISTAN: MFA U/S ZIYAL PROPOSES US-TURKISH

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007977 SIPDIS STATE FOR AFGHANISTAN COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR TAYLOR, SA, AND EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU IZ PTER ASEC SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: MFA U/S ZIYAL PROPOSES US-TURKISH CONSULTATIONS PRIOR TO POTUS-ERDOGAN MEETING REF: A) KABUL 3455 (U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5 (B and D). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para 3. ¶2. (C) MFA Department Head for South Asian Affairs Ergin Soner told us December 27 that U/S Ziyal wished to hold formal bilateral consultations on Afghanistan in Ankara prior to the POTUS-Erdogan meeting at the end of January. Ziyal was pleased with the initial round of discussions that took place in Washington in mid-November, and believed the time was right for US and Turkish officials to intensify the discussions. The MFA hoped a wide range of issues could be discussed with an eye toward identifying potential areas of future cooperation before the POTUS-Erdogan meeting. Soner proposed the week of January 12, and said the MFA hoped that Afghanistan Coordinator Ambassador Taylor could lead a delegation to Ankara during that timeframe to meet with MFA, Turkish General Staff (TGS) and other GOT officials. (Earlier, Soner's boss, DDG for South Asian Affairs Evergin, had observed that consultations in Ankara would allow interagency participation and could help persuade TGS to be more forthcoming.) Soner said the MFA would instruct its embassy in Washington to make a similar proposal to USG officials there. ¶3. (C) Action request: The Embassy strongly supports Ziyal's proposal to continue formal consultations with the Turks on Afghanistan and recommends that the Department explore whether Ambassador Taylor is able to lead an inter-agency team to Ankara during the week beginning January 12. US-Turkish cooperation in Afghanistan has been a continuing bright spot in our relationship. Sustained, high-level consultations on Afghanistan -- particularly before POTUS's meeting with PM Erdogan -- could be an important component of our larger effort to maintain and generate additional Turkish support for our Afghanistan policy, including future contributions to ISAF and Provisional Reconstruction Teams (reftel). While the US and Turkey recently held consultations in Washington, we believe it is important for the next round of talks to take place soon and in Ankara. Convening talks in Ankara will ensure wider participation from the Turkish military (the key GOT entity that has been reluctant to take on a larger role in Afghanistan) and allow them to hear first-hand our current thinking on Afghanistan. EDELMAN