Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA7977
2003-12-29 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

AFGHANISTAN: MFA U/S ZIYAL PROPOSES US-TURKISH

Tags:  PREL MARR MOPS TU IZ PTER ASEC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
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).


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