IRAQ: TURKEY UNHAPPY WITH IIG, SEES REVISED UNSCR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003050 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR IO/UNP, EUR/SE AND NEA/NGA; BAGHDAD ALSO FOR CJTF-7 E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2024 TAGS: PREL TU IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY UNHAPPY WITH IIG, SEES REVISED UNSCR DRAFT AS IMPROVEMENT REF: A. STATE 121718 ¶B. STATE 121748 ¶C. ANKARA 2974 (U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons 1.4 B and D. ¶1. (C) DCM spoke with MFA Director General for Middle East Affairs Burcuoglu June 2 to convey Ref A and B points on support for the Iraqi Interim Government (IIG) and the revised draft of the UNSC Resolution on Iraq. On the UNSCR draft, Burcuoglu noted that a number of Turkey's recommendations (Ref C) had been incorporated, and he considered the revision an improvement. However, Turkey remained disappointed that there was no specific reference to Iraqis preventing terrorist attacks from Iraq against neighboring states. He acknowledged that the reference to UNSCR 1373 covered the issue, but stressed that the language as it stood would not help sway Turkish public opinion. ¶2. (C) On the IIG, Burcuoglu said there was a deep sense of frustration, "almost indignation," at the Turkish MFA over the failure of the US, Brahimi and the IGC to heed Turkey's advice. The Kurds, he said, were still too strongly represented in the IIG as they had been in the IGC, while there was a virtual absence of Turkmen. This, from Turkey's point of view, was not an improvement. Turkey, he went on, knows many of these people well and believes the IIG will have a legitimacy problem in Iraq just as the IGC did. Turkey, he said, would have difficulty working with many of the IIG members. The MFA spokesman had made a statement about the IIG earlier in the day wishing them success (Anadolu Ajansi report of statement at para 3),and, Burcuoglu said, that was as positive as Turkey could get. He concluded that depending on how the IIG evolves, it may impact Turkey's ability to cooperate with us in Iraq. ¶3. (U) Begin text of AA Report of Turkish MFA statement on the IIG: The Iraqi Interim Government unveiled on Tuesday would undertake important duties, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Turkish MFA spokesman Namik Tan told a weekly press conference that the Iraqi Interim Government would work to ensure peace, stability and security in the country, and better living conditions for the Iraqi people. It will also ensure a democratic political transition, hold general elections, and enable a new Iraqi government to take office, he added. Tan expressed Turkey's wish that the interim government would meet the expectations of the Iraqi people and the international community when fulfilling its responsibilities. An Iraqi government in which all the Iraqi people could be equally represented could be elected democratically, Tan stated. Tan wished that the interim government should keep election of such an Iraqi government in mind when fulfilling its duties. End text. 4.(U) Baghdad minimize considered. EDELMAN