Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA2293
2004-04-21 16:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

AFGHANISTAN: MFA/TGS TO RECOMMEND TO PM THAT THEY

Tags:  PREL MARR MOPS TU AF 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002293 

SIPDIS


STATE FOR SA/FO - AMB. TAYLOR; JCS FOR J5 COL SCHRADER


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: MFA/TGS TO RECOMMEND TO PM THAT THEY
ESTABLISH PRT IN TAKHAR

(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch.
Reasons: 1.5 (B and D).


-------
SUMMARY
-------


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002293

SIPDIS


STATE FOR SA/FO - AMB. TAYLOR; JCS FOR J5 COL SCHRADER


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/30/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: MFA/TGS TO RECOMMEND TO PM THAT THEY
ESTABLISH PRT IN TAKHAR

(U) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch.
Reasons: 1.5 (B and D).


--------------
SUMMARY
--------------



1. (C) MFA and TGS will recommend to PM Erdogan that Turkey
establish a PRT in Takhar province in northeastern
Afghanistan. The recommendation will also include a request
for funding for the Turkish helicopters for ISAF, and a
briefing on the possibility that the HRF in Istanbul may
replace the Eurocorps in Afghanistan in February 2005. The
Turks are no longer interested in Baghlan province. If the
PM concurs, the GOT will inform the PRT ESC in Kabul. Afghan
MOI Jalali reportedly told members of the MFA/TGS team during
their recent visit to Afghanistan that he would support a
Turkish-led PRT in either province. The PRT ESC reportedly
did not make a decision on Turkey's PRT proposals. The Turks
continue to receive mixed and conflicting messages from the
various actors (the Afghans, SHAPE, ISAF on the ground in
Kabul, and Germans) regarding their PRT proposals. End
summary.


-------------- --------------
RECON VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN: TAKHAR "YES," BAGHLAN "NO"
-------------- --------------



2. (C) MFA DDG for South Asian Affairs Aydin Evirgen (who led
the GOT's April 9-16 recon visit to Afghanistan related to
Turkey's desire to establish a PRT there) told deputy pol-mil
counselor April 20 that the MFA and TGS intend to recommend
to PM Erdogan next week (April 26-30) that Turkey establish a
PRT in Takhar province. Evirgin cited a number of reasons
for the decision, including:


--Logistics: There is an airstrip in Konduz that the Germans
use to supply the German-led PRT. Turkish military talked to
German officials in Konduz, observed the airstrip, and
concluded it is suitable for setting up and sustaining a
Turkish-led PRT in Takhar. The road between the airstrip and
Takhar is in "good condition."


--AOR: The AOR in Takhar is smaller and more manageable than
the AOR in Baghlan. The MFA and TGS officers believe the

chances for success in Takhar are greater than in Baghlan.


--Reconstruction Efforts: A successful PRT mission in Takhar
will increase the chances for success in other areas of
on-going and future Turkish-led reconstruction (i.e.
agriculture, health) efforts in the province.


--Existing Clinic: Turks have set up a clinic in the center
of the province. Turkish doctors are currently working
there. The presence of an existing clinic would alleviate
the need of establishing a clinic as part of a PRT.


--Positive Relations: Turks have good relations with peoples
in the region. MFA/TGS officials met with leaders/actors in
the province to gauge likely reaction to a TU-led PRT. The
reaction was mostly positive.



3. (C) Evirgen said that following their visit to Baghlan
province, and discussions with Afghan officials (both in
Kabul and in Baghlan) and with others in Kabul, the MFA and
TGS will recommend to the PM that Turkey not establish a PRT
in Baghlan province. Evirgen cited the following reasons:


--AOR: the AOR is large, mountainous and difficult to get
around.


--Locals' Views: Regional leaders and actors with whom the
Turks met were "not warm" to the idea of a Turkish-led PRT.
On the overall security situation, they argued that they had
"everything under control" and there was "no need for
foreigners" to set up a PRT there. The Turks concluded that
absent the support of the local population and regional
leaders, they were unlikely to be successful there. They
also did not believe they could meet the locals' expectations
for big-ticket reconstruction projects (i.e. universities,
hospitals).


--Netherlands: The Turks received "a clear message" from
ISAF and the Dutch in Afghanistan that SHAPE prefers that the
Dutch establish a PRT in Baghlan.


--------------
MOI JALALI SUPPORTIVE OF TURKISH-LED PRT
--------------



4. (C) Evirgen said the TU delegation met with Afghan MOI
Jalali before they visited Takhar and Baghlan provinces.
Jalali reportedly was positive on Turkey leading a PRT in
either Takhar or Baghlan province. He provided the Turks
with security and escorts during their recon visits, and
asked them to inform the ESC PRT of Turkey's position after
the GOT makes a final determination. Evirgin said the GOT
plans to inform MOI Jalali (through the PRT ESC) once PM
Erdogan has made a decision.


-------------- --------------
April 14 PRT ESC MTG: NO DECISION ON TURKISH PROPOSALS
-------------- --------------



5. (C) Evirgen said that the Turkish delegation was not in
Kabul on April 14 and therefore unable to attend the PRT ESC
meeting. He said he had learned from NATO SCR Cetin (who
reportedly attended the meeting) that ESC did not reach any
conclusions on Turkey's PRT proposals.


-------------- --------------
TURKS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE MIXED SIGNALS ON PRT PROPOSALS
-------------- --------------



6. (C) Evirgen said the Turkish delegation received a
"different view from everyone:" SHAPE appears to be steering
Turkey toward Takhar; LTG Barno toward Baghlan; other ISAF
officials in Kabul argued that SHAPE's Stage 1 requirements
had been met and encouraged Turkey to establish a PRT in a
region identified by SHAPE as a Stage 2 priority; and, unlike
the German MFA and MOD officials who attended the Berlin
donors conference at the end of March, German officials
working in the German-led PRT in Konduz said they had the
entire AOR "under control."


--------------
NEXT STEPS: MFA/TGS RECOMMENDATION TO THE PM
--------------



7. (C) Evirgen outlined the following time-line for Turkish
action on PRTs:


--MFA and TGS will complete their reports this week on the
recon visit to Afghanistan.
--MFA and TGS (together) will recommend to PM Erdogan next
week that Turkey establish a PRT in Takhar. They will
request a "special budget" to set up and sustain a 75-person
PRT. At this time, the MFA and TGS are not considering
incorporating personnel from other countries into the PRT
during its "initial stage."


--The recommendation will include a request from the Turkish
military for $1.5M to help cover some of the costs related to
the Turkish offer to provide three utility helicopters to
ISAF. Evirgen said this did not mean that TGS had abandoned
the idea of working out an arrangement with Luxembourg for
the latter to finance the deployment of the helicopters.
Rather, he suspected TGS was seeking funding from the PM in
the event that Turkey and Luxembourg were not able to reach
an acceptable arrangement, and the Turkish military needed to
come up with the funds.


--MFA/TGS will also inform the PM that NATO is "almost there"
in deciding to send the HRF in Istanbul to Afghanistan in
February 2005 to replace Euro corps. Evirgen said he was
surprised to learn during his visit to Kabul that the Turkish
military had not yet informed the PM there was a good chance
the HRF in Istanbul would be deployed to Afghanistan next
year. The MFA urged (and TGS reportedly has agreed) to brief
the PM as part of the recommendation on PRTs.


EDELMAN