TURKEY PLANS TO PROVIDE STAFF AND MATERIALS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000504 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2015 TAGS: MARR PREL EAID TU AF SUBJECT: TURKEY PLANS TO PROVIDE STAFF AND MATERIALS FOR AFGHAN WAR COLLEGE, MULLING TRAINING FOR ANA Classified By: CDA Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) TGS/J3 LTG Yalcin told DCM and PolMilCouns on Jan. 26 that Turkey was planning to offer significant training and support for the Afghan War College. PolMilOff followed up Jan. 27 with Aydin Evirgen, MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia. Evirgen said that the plan--which still required final GOT approval, which he expected to receive in a matter of a few weeks--was to provide 16 trainers "for up to several years" at the War College. The trainers would fill needs which the Afghans identified to the Turks. Turkey also plans to supply clothing and other materials (office supplies, etc.) to the War College's 60 staff and 120 students. ¶2. (C) Evirgen (please protect) also said that the GOT was considering providing direct training to the Afghan National Army, but added that this idea was still in the planning stages; he implied it might meet more resistance in the Turkish bureaucracy. ¶3. (C) Comment: The Turks are playing to their strengths in providing trainers and materials for the Afghan War College. (Yalcin cited similar significant assistance to war colleges in Bosnia and Georgia.) This, along with their apparent willingness to reconsider deploying a PRT, demonstrates that they are not allowing their command of ISAF VII to be their sole contribution to the future of Afghanistan. End comment. EDELMAN