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