TURKEY'S CONTINUES TO WAIT FOR IMPROVED SECURITY

UNCLAS ANKARA 001263 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IZ TU SUBJECT: TURKEY'S CONTINUES TO WAIT FOR IMPROVED SECURITY BEFORE DISBURSING ITS $50 MILLION PLEDGE FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION REF: A. STATE 36580 ¶B. 2004 ANKARA 5351 ¶1. On MArch 7, Turkey's new Coordinator for Iraq Reconstruction, Ambassador Toray Targay, told Econ Counselor that Turkey is ready to begin disbursing its $50 million pledge for Iraqi reconstruction, but they continue to wait for the security situation to improve. We emphasized that the U.S. has accelerated its reconstruction disbursements and urged Turkey to begin disbursing its aid as soon as possible to signal international support for the Iraqi people. Targay hoped that Turkey would be able to proceed soon, once the new Iraqi Assembly is in place and a new Iraqi government is chosen and working. ¶2. Targay said that Turkey has projects that can be implemented very quickly, such as hospital construction projects in Baghdad and Basra. Turkey's Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) will implement Turkey's projects in Iraq. Targay said that Turkey has spent only a small amount of the $50 million pledge for police and election worker training. Humanitarian assistance, such as was provided last year for the Turkmen city of Tal Afar, did not come out of the $50 million. Targay expected that Turkey's $50 million could go quite far -- the salaries and housing costs of Turkish government employees are not included, and Targay expected that most of the Turkish companies working on reconstruction projects would be willing to make significant in-kind contributions to projects. He noted that many of the Turkish companies in Afghanistan have been pleased to make such contributions. ¶3. Baghdad minimize considered. EDELMAN