IRAQ AND TURKEY: "AGREED MINUTE" VS. JOINT

S E C R E T ANKARA 000947

SIPDIS


STATE FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA;
NSC FOR RICE AND HADLEY; OSD FOR DEPSECDEF


E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ AND TURKEY: "AGREED MINUTE" VS. JOINT
STATEMENT ON POLITICAL FUTURE OF IRAQ


REF: ANKARA 954


(U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson. Reasons:
1.5 (B and D).



1. (S) While Reftel meeting was taking place, Presidential
Special Envoy Khalilzad met with MFA Deputy U/S Tuygan to
discuss the MOU/Joint Statement issue further. Tuygan asked
the US to reconsider its opposition to an MOU on the
political future of Iraq. Khalilzad said that his current
instructions did not allow that and he would have to report
the request and get back to Tuygan. He added that Washington
was opposed to a formal legalistic document and preferred a
joint statement.



2. (S) Tuygan said he had shared all of this with his
authorities who responded, "we are going to war. We are
taking hard political steps as well. Agreeing to an MOU on
this shouldn't be a problem." Tuygan pointed out that a new
poll showed 94 percent of the Turkish population was opposed
to a war with Iraq, and the PM's basic argument with his
party, the Parliament and the opposition was focused on the
need to safeguard Turkey's interests the day after, hence the
need for the MOU. Tuygan said there were two important
issues for Turkey: 1) the political future and inclusion of
the Iraqi Turkmen; and 2) that Turkey should have a place in
all international structures dealing with Iraq. "We don't
intend to run Iraq, but we need to show people that this time
Turkey will have a say like other major participants."



3. (S) Tuygan then was called out of the room to confer
briefly with MFA U/S Ziyal. He returned and said that on an
ad ref basis pending the FM and PM's approval, Amb. Khalilzad
could check with Washington to see if we could use the
proposed Turkish text as "an agreed minute."



4. (S) Post will secure fax text to NEA Front Office. Reftel
reports that the Turks also suggested to Amb. Pearson a joint
statement of political principles as an alternate format. We
seek Washington guidance on concept and format by OOB Ankara
time Feb. 7. Amb. Khalilzad believes each option has merit,
though he leans toward a joint statement of principles as a
preferred option.
PEARSON