TURKS SAY NEIGHBORS MEETING POSTPONED AT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002196

SIPDIS

NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2025
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER TU IZ
SUBJECT: TURKS SAY NEIGHBORS MEETING POSTPONED AT
JA'AFARI'S REQUEST

REF: BAGHDAD 1592 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Ambassador Eric S. Edelman for reasions 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) We read reftel with interest, but the Turks tell us a
different story on the postponement of the Istanbul Iraq
Neighbors' Meeting. MFA Head of Department for Iraq Avni
Botsali emailed us at 0130 local time April 17 to inform us
that the "neighbors meeting is postponed since PM-designate
Ja'afari said that the work on the formation of the new
Transitional Government is about to be finalized and he would
very much like to come and address the FMs as the head of the
newly formed government." Botsali told PolMilOff later on
April 17 that he understood that FonMin Zebari was unhappy
with Ja'afari's decision to request a postponement.


2. (C) We followed up with Botsali April 18. He reported
that Ja'afari had called FonMin Gul to request that the
meting be postponed "by about a week" to allow for the
formation of the ITG, and that Gul had reluctantly agreed.
Botsali reported that the next meeting was tentatively
rescheduled for April 27-28, but added that given the events
of this weekend the ITG would have to be officially in place;
if not, holding such a meeting would "seem strange."


3. (C) MFA Director General for the Middle East Oguz Celikkol
had briefly discussed Ja'afari's possible participation with
the DCM on April 12. He reported Ja'afari's possible
attendance and remarked that Turkey would essentially
consider it a bonus since the meeting was at the foreign
minister level. When PolMilOff checked in with Department
Head Botsali over the course of last week on this issue,
Botsali took much the same line, though it appeared that the
Turks were pleased that the Ja'afari visit had apparently
become a real possibility. However, at no time did we detect
that the Turks had determined that Ja'afari's participation
was a necessity for the neighbors meeting to occur.


4. (U) Iraq posts minimize considered.
EDELMAN