TURKEY - FOLLOW-UP APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN

UNCLAS ANKARA 006818 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM SENV TU PAK SUBJECT: TURKEY - FOLLOW-UP APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION REF: A. STATE 208903 ¶B. ANKARA 6557 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) With respect to other countries cited for generous thanks in ref A, Post notes that Turkey remains first in the line of donors with a plege of $150 million. ¶2. (SBU) On November 17, MFA Officer Sebnem Incesu reiterated Turkey's commitment to assisting Pakistan for both humanitarian and reconstruction needs from the earthquake. She said that Turkey's delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister had already departed for the November 19 Pakistan Reconstruction Conference. She said that the GOT had held discussions with Pakistan officials, but the Prime Ministry had still not released further details for a break-down of the $150 million pledge. The MFA official said that $68 million of bilateral assistance had been funded (the same figure as in Ref B) and that 24 plane-loads of materials had been transported. She said that public fund-raising had totalled $87 million, but was not able to clarify if that constituted part of the $150 million pledge. Incesu said that the $3 million response from Turkey for the UN flash appeal was being transfered this week (Ref B). ¶3. (SBU) Post notes that Turkey's response to Pakistan's crisis has struck a deep chord with the Turkish people, eliciting a generous pledge. It is surprising that more details have not been fleshed out at this time, particularly with respect to reconstruction needs. MCELDOWNEY