TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ BELIEVES CONSTITUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004009

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ BELIEVES CONSTITUTION
DRAFTING DEADLINE WILL HOLD


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) a
nd (d).


1. (C) Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Unal _Cevikoz told the
Charge July 7 that he was called to Ankara (from his vacation
in Istanbul) by Foreign Minister Gul to consult on the recent
attacks on Arab diplomats in Baghdad. Gul was concerned by
the recent attacks, but was still interested in visiting Iraq
in the near future. _Cevikoz said that he counseled the
minister to wait until after the August 15 deadline to
complete the drafting of a new Iraqi constitution.


2. (C) _Cevikoz was optimistic about the constitutional
drafting process. He recently met with Kurdistan Democratic
Party chief Massoud Barzani who said he would look to the
Transitional Administrative Law for ways to handle
controversial issues in the constitution. Cevikoz,
therefore, expected the Iraqis would paper over their
differences on Kirkuk and meet the August 15 deadline.


3. (C) On plans to open a consulate in Mosul, _Cevikoz said he
was urging Ankara to go slow despite having recently received
the ITG's approval. He argued that the security situation
needed to improve before opening there.


4. (U) Iraq REOs minimize considered.
MCELDOWNEY