TURKEY WELCOMES AFGHANISTAN COUNTERNARCOTICS PLAN,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006878

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/A, INL, EUR/SE, AND EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2014
TAGS: SNAR PARM AF TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY WELCOMES AFGHANISTAN COUNTERNARCOTICS PLAN,
BUT OPPOSES ISAF ROLE IN ERADICATION

REF: STATE 248010

Classified By: PolMilCouns Timothy A. Betts for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.


1. (C) Per reftel instructions, PolMilCouns presented our
Afghanistan counternarcotics plan on Dec. 9 to Aydin Evirgen,
MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia. Evirgen welcomed
our comprehensive approach, and signaled Turkey's willingness
to engage on this issue. He said that Turkey is also alarmed
by the significant growth in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan.


2. (C) Evirgen cautioned, however, that Turkey remains
concerned about ISAF involvement in counternarcotics efforts,
and is opposed to ISAF having a role in eradication, because
it could damage ISAF's standing with the Afghan public and
make its peacekeeping mission harder. He thought education
should be the first step. PolMilCouns pointed out that our
plan emphasizes that the Afghan government would have the
lead on this issue and added that under our understanding of
the mission's mandate, ISAF commanders have the discretion as
to whether to participate in counternarcotics efforts.
Moreover, ISAF included PRTs that could contribute to other
pillars of our plan; ISAF's involvement need not be solely
military in nature. Evirgen took the point, but again
emphasized that Turkey would oppose any ISAF involvement in
eradication efforts.


3. (U) Dushanbe minimize considered.
EDELMAN