IRAQI ASSETS: TURKISH GOVERNMENT CLAIMS NONE EXIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003138

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS (GLASS/SALOOM),IO/PHO, L/EB; TREASURY
FOR ROSS, WALLWORTH WEISS & ZARATE


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2014
TAGS: EFIN IZ PREL TU XL
SUBJECT: IRAQI ASSETS: TURKISH GOVERNMENT CLAIMS NONE EXIST

REF: A. STATE 110075

B. STATE 36435

C. 03 STATE 346682

D. ANKARA 1087


Classified by DCM Robert S. Deutsch. Reasons: 1.4(b),(d).



1. (SBU) On 26 May, DCM met with MFA Director General for
Bilateral Political Affairs (Middle East & Africa) Taksin
Burcuoglu to press for a response to Refs B & C. Burcuoglu
replied that "until now Turkey has been unable to find" the
bank accounts. Burcuoglu further stated that the situation is
difficult because some banks no longer exist and some were
privatized, but thatresearch was continuing.



2. (SBU) On 1 June Econoffs met with Akif Ayhan, MFA Head of
Department for Middle Eastern and African Affairs, to deliver
Ref A demarche and continue to press for a response to Refs B
and C. (Since January and February, when Econoffs delivered
Refs B and C, Ayhan has repeatedly fended off Post's meeting
requests, on the grounds that he had nothing to report.) In
the 1 June meeting, Ayhan orally stated, with respect to Refs
B and C, that "No tangible data have been found which allows
us to say there are any such Iraqi assets in Turkey," and
that "nothing affiliated with any of the indicated persons"
has been found. Ayhan emphasized that this was the official
GOT response, and that all agencies of the government were
involved in the research. Ayhan noted, however, that the
search did not include periods prior to the first Gulf War.



3. (C) In a follow-up telephone call on June 4, Econoff
asked Ayhan whether GOT could at least confirm the existence
of the subject accounts. Ayhan refused directly to answer the
question, repeating his "no data" statement, and refused
further to specify which agencies conducted the
investigation. Finally, Ayhan advised that GOT considered
this matter closed and would not be conducting any additional
investigations. Comment: Post is troubled by Ayhan's belated
and formulaic response and inability or unwillingness to
provide any details as to the nature and results of the
investigation conducted by GOT (e.g., whether the subject
accounts in fact exist). Post accordingly intends to elevate
this issue again. End Comment.



4. (SBU) Regarding Ref A, Ayhan stated that he would
distribute the lists to all relevant GOT agencies for review.
EDELMAN