TURKEY REQUESTS INFORMATION ON USG FUEL DELIVERIES

UNCLAS ANKARA 002527 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR EUR/SE AND L/EUR - KAREN JOHNSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EPET ETRD IZ PREL TU SUBJECT: TURKEY REQUESTS INFORMATION ON USG FUEL DELIVERIES TO IRAQ FOR PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATION OF SMUGGLING Sensitive But Unclassified. ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See para 3. ¶2. (SBU) Embassy received a diplomatic note May 3 requesting information on U.S. purchases of refined products in Turkey for delivery to Iraq during the period May 2003 through April ¶2005. Para 4 contains text of diplomatic note. The information is being requested by a parliamentary committee investigating cross-border smuggling in the southeast region of Turkey. Members of the committee recently visited the Habur Gate border crossing with Iraq, and according to the Turkish daily Cumhuriyet, said the border is a "sieve," charging that smuggling accounts for $150 million per year and some Turkish oil firms and members of Parliament may be involved. Action Request: ¶3. (U) Action Request: Post requests Department instructions on whether to accommodate the Turkish request. Embassy is collecting the requested information but will await instructions before passing to MFA. ¶4. (SBU) Text of diplomatic note: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America, and has the honor to inform that an inquiry committee of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey investigating the detrimental effects caused by the illicit trafficking of petroleum to the economy, human life and environment and the measures to be determined in this regard, has requested information from the U.S. Defense Energy Support Centre related to the quantity of fuel products shipped from Turkey to Iraq between May 2003 and 1st April 2005, including a listing of supplier/transmitter companies on a yearly basis. (Standard Closing.) Ankara, 2nd May 2005. End text. Baghdad Minimize Considered. EDELMAN