TURKISH IRAQ COORDINATOR UPDATE ON TURKEY'S IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001415 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2021 TAGS: PREL TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKISH IRAQ COORDINATOR UPDATE ON TURKEY'S IRAQ EFFORTS; DCM URGES CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIVE STEPS REF: STATE 22896 (U) Classified by DCM Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: In a March 15 meeting with DCM, Turkish Special Representative for Iraq Oguz Celikkol outlined Turkey's efforts to bridge Iraq's sectarian divides by meeting with a wide range of interlocutors. There is still no firm date or any specific plans for an al-Sadr visit to Turkey. DCM urged Celikkol to move on aid and other material assistance to Iraq. End Summary. Turkey's Efforts on Iraq -------------- ¶2. (C) Celikkol said the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) is planning to send a joint Sunni/Shiite cleric group to Iraq to calm sectarian tension; the Shiite clerics will likely come from Azerbaijan (Note: However, a Diyanet Vice President told us March 16 that there were no specific plans to go to Iraq. End Note). Turkey also plans to host a mixed Sunni/Shiite Turkmen group in the future. Celikkol said he had met in the past week with Osama Tawafik al-Tikriti of the Iraqi Islamic Party, who requested Turkish assistance in preventing division of Iraq and in the Party's media efforts. He also met with the Kurdistan Islamic Union Party, who complained about the lack of democracy in KDP-controlled areas; Celikkol urged them to talk to USG officials as well. ¶3. (C) Celikkol claimed Turkey is avoiding taking sides in Iraq and will host whomever wishes to visit. He expressed concern over what he sees as deepening sectarian division in Iraq and said the Iraqi government should comprise all elements, including Moktada al-Sadr; if not, he fears the Sadr militias will be uncontrolled. DCM replied that the Sadr militias have been a deeply negative factor, noting reports they are behind much of the current violence. ¶4. (C) Celikkol said there is still no firm date or specific plans for an al-Sadr visit to Turkey. ¶5. (C) Noting that some planned Turkish projects and aid dispersal in Iraq had stalled, DCM urged Celikkol to move forward both on aid disbursement and on donations of supplies to Iraqi police and security forces (reftel). DCM pointed out that many of the requested supplies would be easy for Turkey to donate. Celikkol undertook to approach the military, police and Turkish Cooperation Development Agency (TIKA). ¶6. (C) Celikkol said PM Jaafari and the Iraqi Minister of Transportation had both agreed on the need for more border gates between Turkey and Iraq, but there had been no follow-up action. He said that Turkey was ready to agree to begin work on two more gates in 2006, which could then open in 2007. Turkey is also examining the possibility of direct rail links. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON