ESTABLISHING A US MISSION IN BAGHDAD: TURKEY

UNCLAS ANKARA 002407

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE


DEPT. FOR NEA, PMAT AND EUR/SE


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL AMGT TU IZ
SUBJECT: ESTABLISHING A US MISSION IN BAGHDAD: TURKEY
BRIEFED


REF: STATE 89241



1. (SBU) On April 26, PolMilOff briefed Turkish MFA Iraq
Department Head Serra Erarslan on plans for establishing a US
Mission in Baghdad. Erarslan's only comment was to ask
whether the US Mission would retain control over elements of
Iraqi sovereignty, and referred to recent public statements
by senior US officials on limited Iraqi sovereignty after
June 30. We explained that post June 30, the interim Iraqi
Government would assume full governing (although not
legislative or security) authority and that we did not expect
the US Mission as such to exercise sovereign authority in
Iraq.



2. (U) Erarslan said that the Turkish Mission in Baghdad
would retain its current staffing of an Ambassador plus four
other diplomats (one counselor, one first secretary and two
third secretaries) plus administrative staff.



3. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
EDELMAN