DEPUTY IRAQ COORDINATOR DEUTSCH'S CONSULTATIONS IN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 007214

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2015
TAGS: PREL ENRG EPET IZ IR TU
SUBJECT: DEPUTY IRAQ COORDINATOR DEUTSCH'S CONSULTATIONS IN
ANKARA

REF: ISTANBUL 02059

Classified By: DCM NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B and D).

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Summary
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1. (S) In December 1-2 meetings with Turkish Prime Ministry
advisor Davutoglu and senior MFA officials, Deputy Senior
Advisor and Deputy Iraq Coordinator Robert Deutsch discussed
the U.S. National Strategy for Victory in Iraq and the PRT
concept, encouraged the Turks to consider contributing
observers to the December 15 elections in Iraq, and discussed
efforts to prevent PKK front parties from participating in
the elections. The Turks briefed Deutsch on GOT efforts to
encourage Sunni participation in the political process,
including their invitation to U.S. Iraq Ambassador Khalilzad
to meet selected Iraqi Sunni personalities in Istanbul on
December 4. Deutsch also discussed Iraqi electricity
generation, fuel delivery issues and the status of Turkey's
USD 50 million Iraq assistance pledge with the MFA Iraq
assistance coordinator. End Summary.

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TURKS ON SUNNI OUTREACH
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2. (C) In a December 1 meeting at CDA's residence, Prime
Ministry advisor Ahmet Davutoglu and MFA Middle East Director
General Celikkol briefed Deutsch on the GOT's offer to host a
private meeting in Istanbul December 3-4 between Iraq Sunni
leaders and U.S. officials. (Note: U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
Zalmay Khalilzad and Consul General Istanbul officers
attended the meeting; see reftel. End note.) Davutoglu and
Celikkol explained that Iraqi Sunnis had asked the GOT to
arrange such a meeting and that FM Gul had agreed to help as
part of the GOT's efforts to encourage broader Sunni
participation in the December 15 elections. The Turks
explained that such a meeting outside Iraq with senior U.S.
officials would contribute to allaying Sunni fears and
suspicions regarding participation in the elections. It
would show that the U.S. could distinguish legitimate Iraqi
opposition among Sunnis from terrorists. Davutoglu stressed
that the Sunnis coming to Istanbul felt "sandwiched" and
insecure between "Wahhabism" on one side and Iran-supported
Shi'a extremism on the other. Deutsch noted that the U.S.
shares the GOT's aim of separating the majority of Sunnis
from terrorism and encouraging their political participation,
but questioned the presence of representatives of the Ulema
Council among the Sunnis coming to the Istanbul meeting.
Davutoglu responded that, even if the Ulema Council cannot be
convinced to accept the political process, it might be
convinced not to block it. In such a case, quality Sunni
candidates would run, giving them good representation.


3. (C) Having just attended a dinner at the Iraqi embassy
for visiting Iraqi Deputy President Adil abd al-Mahdi,
Davutoglu and Celikkol reported they were impressed with
al-Mahdi and his team, which they found more capable than
former PM Allawi's.

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MFA U/S TUYGAN ON ELECTIONS, OIL
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4. (C) In a December 2 conversation at the Foreign Ministry,
Deutsch and MFA Undersecretary Ali Tuygan agreed on the
importance of steering Iraqi political leaders and the Iraqi
assembly to an issues-based rather than sectarian agenda.
Deutsch and Tuygan agreed on the need to ensure the December
15 elections are adequately monitored to discourage fraud.
Tuygan expressed interest in plans to monitor the elections
and Deutsch described EU and Canada's International
Monitoring of Iraqi Elections (IMIE) efforts to organize
national and international observers, encouraging the Turks
to consider contributing observers. Tuygan said the Turkish
embassy in Baghdad would be in contact with the Independent
Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI).


5. (C) Tuygan expressed appreciation for Deutsch's brief
presentation of the U.S. national strategy for Iraq. Deutsch
and Tuygan also discussed Iraqi oil production and measures
to increase the security of oil pipelines and distribution
networks, especially the oft-sabotaged Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline.

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MFA SECURITY DG GUVEN ON PKK
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6. (S) Deutsch reiterated to MFA Director General for
Security Affairs (S/CT equivalent) Ambassador Hayati Guven
the U.S. goal is a united Iraq that is not a safehaven for
terrorists. To that end, he explained, the USG has
encouraged the Iraqi Kurds to participate fully in the
national political system. They have played positive roles
both in the constitution drafting process and within the
government in Baghdad. On the PKK, the USG has been working
closely with Turkey against the group in Europe and in
Turkey. As for the PKK presence in Iraq, Deutsch hoped the
new Iraqi government that emerges after the December 15
elections will be more effective across the board than its
predecessors, including in countering terrorism.


7. (S) A clearly frustrated Guven responded that the USG
message on the PKK that the GOT should wait for a united Iraq
to emerge had not changed, and the amount of time Turkey was
expected to wait seemed to be very long. While Washington
might be satisfied with the Iraqi Kurds, Turkey was not: The
Kurds have an "established authority" in northern Iraq, have
heard Turkey's requests within the PKK trilateral talks
framework (Ankara 242),but have done "nothing." There is
also apparently no connection between the government in
Baghdad and the authorities in the north.


8. (S) Deutsch raised the issue of PKK front parties in Iraq
and asked whether Turkey had provided information to the IECI
on the Democratic Reconstruction and Constitution Party and
the Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party (KDSP) ties to the
terrorists. Guven said the Turkish Ambassador in Baghdad had
raised the issue with both President Talabani and FM Zebari,
and Talabani had undertaken to contact "appropriate
authorities." However, Guven was unaware of any Turkish
approach directly to the IECI. Deutsch told Guven that the
IECI was truly independent and urged Turkey approach the
commission directly, as it had done in 2004. He noted that,
although the list of parties for the election has already
been published, the IECI was still receiving and reviewing
information on former Baathists and corruption allegations
with a view towards revising the list, so it might not yet be
too late to provide the IECI data on the terrorist links of
these two parties. After some discussion as to the kind of
information the IECI might find useful, Guven agreed to have
the Turkish Embassy contact IECI. In response to a question,
polmilcouns told Guven that the USG was still in the process
of making releasable its information on the KDSP. (Comment:
We understand JAC Molesworth is working on this. End
Comment.)


9. (S) Guven expressed impatience that Iraq has not yet
extradited two Istanbul bombing suspects. After months of
effort and despite Turkey's raising the matter as high as the
Iraqi President, the suspects have yet to be handed over.
Deutsch agreed that senior Iraqis needed to push their
processes harder to make them function better and suggested
that the USG would again see whether further encouragement
could facilitate this Iraqi extradition process.


10. (S) Changing the subject, Guven recalled the Istanbul
meeting of Iraq neighbors' interior ministers earlier this
year when ministers discussed the creation of a permanent
secretariat in Baghdad (Ankara 4230). Ankara had recently

SIPDIS
received a letter from Saudi Arabia asking for Turkey's views
on this proposal that had been made by the Iranian minister
and supported by the Iraqis. Guven said the Turkish response
will be that the matter was discussed but not finally
decided, and would likely be considered further at the next
interior ministers' gathering in January or February in
Riyadh. Contrary to his expectation when he briefed us on
the meeting last July, he said the draft protocol on the
interior ministers' process would not include mention of the
proposed secretariat.

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MFA IRAQ AID COORDINATOR TARGAY ON POWER, FUEL
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11. (C) In a meeting with MFA Coordinator for Iraq
Reconstruction Koray Targay, Deutsch reviewed current
challenges in meeting targets for electricity production and
distribution in Iraq. He emphasized recent effective
targeting of transmission by insurgents, budget problems, and
reliance on use of fuel oil which requires greater
maintenance and down-time. Targay described current
electricity exports from Turkey of around 250 MW (from Kartet
Company). Referring to the Prime Minister,s promise to
increase this amount to 1200 MW, he cited that -- despite
excess capacity available in Turkey (he said 12 billion kwh
over the next five years) -- bureaucracy and needed
investment in transmission on both sides of the border were
obstacles and challenges. Noting USD 50 million in
investment needed on the Iraq side and USD 40 million on the
Turkish side, Targay lamented that Turkish law currently
allows only the government to invest in electricity
transmission. Given the company's willingness to do this, he
had strongly recommended an exception. In conclusion, Targay
expressed confidence that they would collectively be able to
deal with this transmission problem and noted that there did
not seem to be payment problems for the Turkish supplier.


12. (C) Moving to the equally formidable challenge of fuel
shipments to Iraq from Turkey, Targay noted the challenge for
the 36 Turkish suppliers who had contracted to deliver to
Iraqi state oil marketing company SOMO. While arrears had
increased to USD 600 million out of total debt of USD 800
million, he expressed surprising faith in the good will of
SOMO to make payments. Deutsch emphasized the difficulties
faced by SOMO in light of current budget problems and given
that these expenditures were not anticipated. He expressed
optimism that IMF stipulated liberalization and reforms of
fuel product imports and prices could help solve some of the
supply problems.


13. (C) Targay observed that Turkey had funded about USD 10
million to date of its USD 50 million pledge. While noting
that security problems had slowed realization of assistance
plans, he expressed commitment to move forward. He cited
plans for USD 14-15 million for a hospital in Baghdad and USD
15-20 million for mobile electricity power stations in Tal
Afar. With respect to the latter, there were still concerns
about Iraq's ability to protect the plants and maintain and
operate them. They would operate on fuel oil, of which Iraq
had adequate quantities.


14. (U) Deutsch briefed Targay on the Provincial
Reconstruction Team concept as we are seeking to apply it to
Iraq and welcomed any ideas on ways Turkey could contribute
to PRT activities as they are stood up.


15. (U) Deputy Iraq Coordinator Deutsch cleared this cable.
WILSON