TURKEY WAITING FOR IMPROVED DONOR COORDINATION

UNCLAS ANKARA 000955 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EUR/SE, NEA/IR-RAPHEL, NEA/FO-TAYLOR NSC FOR BRYZA AND MCKIBBEN TREASURY FOR OASIA JLEICHTER AND MMILLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AF EAID EFIN IZ PGOV PREL TU SUBJECT: TURKEY WAITING FOR IMPROVED DONOR COORDINATION BEFORE DISBURSING ITS USD 50 MILLION PLEDGE FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION REF: STATE 031782 Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet distribution. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Turkey's Coordinator for Afghan and Iraq Assistance Ambassador Okcun said Turkey is ready to start disbursing its USD 50 million pledge for Iraq Reconstruction, but is waiting for better coordination among donors. Okcun will participate in the preparatory meeting for the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) in Dubai, but Turkey will make only a small contribution to the facility to show solidarity. Turkey is preparing new projects in Afghanistan as part of its additional USD 5 million pledge. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Econoff met with Ambassador Ahmet Okcun, Turkey's Coordinator for Assistance to Iraq and Afghanistan, to discuss Turkey's Madrid Pledge, as requesteed reftel. Okcun said Turkey has drawn up a list of projects that it would like to undertake; however, the projects will not go forward until there is effective coordination among donors. Okcun said Turkey does not know enough about the details of U.S. funded projects, much less the plans of the other donor countries, and is concerned that without full coordination, it might duplicate or interfere with projects undertaken by other donors. ¶3. (U) Okcun was pleased to receive the information about the Iraqi donor coordination mechanism, the Iraqi Strategic Review Board, and the name and e-mail for points of contacts in the Ministry for Planning and National Development and CPA. Okcun will travel to Baghdad February 24-25 and plans to contact those officials to discuss Turkey's projects. ¶4. (SBU) Okcun was aware of the meeting in Dubai, February 28-29, and planned to attend if he received an invitation. He said Turkey would make only a symbolic contribution to the IRFFI to show its solidarity for the work undertaken by the UN and World Bank. He explained that Turkey prefers to directly control the projects under its USD 50 million pledge. He said the government is proud of its successful projects in Afghanistan and wants to duplicate that success in Iraq. Okcun asked whether those donors countries unable to contribute USD 10 milllion to the facility will be represented on the IRFFI donors committee, as is the case for the Afghanistan Trust Fund. He also asked for more information about the Dubai meetings -- whether they will focus on the IRFFI only or will discuss broader donor coordination. ¶5. (U) Turning to Afghanistan, Okcun noted that Turkey increased its pledge for Afghanistan from USD 5 million to USD 10 million and will start a number of new projects next month with the added money. He was glad to hear that Ambassador Taylor was considering a visit to Ankara March 12 and asked that he have an opportunity to meet with Ambassador Taylor early in his schedule because he must leave the afternoon of March 12 to to attend the Afghanistan Development Forum in Kabul, March 16-17. ¶6. (U) Baghdad and Kabul minimize considered. EDELMAN