THE SECOND IRAQ-TURKEY BORDER CROSSING: PROPOSAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002201 SIPDIS STATE PASS TDA FOR D. STEIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2014 TAGS: ECIN ETRD IZ PREL TU SUBJECT: THE SECOND IRAQ-TURKEY BORDER CROSSING: PROPOSAL PASSED TO MFA REF: A. ANKARA 1841 ¶B. STATE 82870 Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Econoff shared U.S. proposal (ref b) for a TDA study of the Iraqi and Turkish proposals for a second border crossing. MFA DDG Sakir Fakili said Turkey had nearly completed its own study, but was open to all suggestions and would respond to the TDA idea after consulting with other agencies. On related border issues, Fakili confirmed that Turkish officials would ensure priority for JP8 fuel shipments and raised a concern that Kurdish officials would be collecting the Reconstruction levy. End Summary. TDA Study of Second Border Crossing ¶2. (C) Econoff met with MFA DDG for Bilateral Economic Affairs Sakir Fakili to share the proposal to seek a TDA-funded feasibility study to help Turkey and Iraq reach agreement on the second border crossing. Fakili said he appreciated any U.S. initiatives to help Turkey and Iraq reach an agreement, adding that he needed to consult with other interested agencies in the GOT before giving us a response. Fakili reviewed the arguments favoring the Turkish proposal -- emphasizing that the Iraqi proposal would mean that trucks would continue to use the mountainous road from Zakho to Mosul, while the Turkish proposal includes a new road running from the border to Mosul from the west. He suggested that if the two sides agreed on the Turkish proposal, a number of possibilities for funding the project would open up, including from Turkish and international sources. ¶3. (C) Econoff emphasized that the U.S. does not want to take sides. However, both sides believed their proposals have merit and were preparing separate feasibility studies. A TDA feasibility study would eliminate the financial burden on both countries to prepare feasibility studies and allow the two sides to make an objective comparison of the economic and engineering aspects of the proposals. In this way, the U.S. hoped to help the sides reach agreement on the technical issues and focus on the remaining political aspects of the problem. Fakili noted that the GOT has already conducted a number of studies, including site visits by Turkish teams in Iraq, and that the Turkish side has nearly completed its study. JP-8 Shipments ¶4. (C) Econoff raised concerns about the extraordinary need for shipment of JP8 fuel from Turkey for U.S. military operations in Iraq. Despite agreement to ensure that the tankers carrying the JP8 were accorded top priority by Turkish border officials, we had received reports that the Deputy Governor in charge of the border was reluctant to do so. Fakili confirmed that his office had checked with the Deputy Governor's office and assured us that the GOT would fulfill its commitment to "facilitate passage." He added that there will be no problem getting the needed fuel through. Reconstruction Levy ¶5. (C) Fakili took the opportunity to again raise the GOT's complaint that Kurdish officials continue to charge Turkish truck drivers arbitrary and unsanctioned fees. He added that he had heard that Kurdish officials would be allowed to select who would collect the Reconstruction levy, which began April 15. Econoff responded that the Reconstruction Levy was initiated to provide Iraq's central government with funding for reconstruction. It is our understanding that the fees will be collected by officers of the Iraqi Customs Service, who have been selected, trained and paid by the Central government and that all revenues collected will go to Baghdad. ¶6. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. EDELMAN