TURKEY WILL NOT SEND PRT TO AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004485 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2014 TAGS: PREL MOPS TU AF SUBJECT: TURKEY WILL NOT SEND PRT TO AFGHANISTAN REF: ANKARA 3950 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Following up on mid-July reports that the GOT was reconsidering its decision not to send a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to Afghanistan (reftel), PolMilCouns and PolMilOff consulted both MFA and TGS sources, who denied that Turkey was reconsidering its June decision not to send a PRT. However, on Aug. 9, MFA Deputy Director General Aydin Evirgen told PolMilCouns that indeed the GOT had reevaluated its negative position, but unfortunately has not changed its view. Evirgen said that since the Istanbul High Readiness Force will deploy in February to take over ISAF command (pending final NATO decision),the Turkish military has indicated it would prefer to concentrate on this mission. ¶2. (U) Kabul minimize considered. EDELMAN