TURKEY/IRAQ: DAS BRYZA MEETING WITH IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001876

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2016
TAGS: PREL IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ: DAS BRYZA MEETING WITH IRAQ
COORDINATOR CELIKKOL


Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

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Summary
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1. (C) Turkish Government Iraq Coordinator Oguz Celikkol told
DAS Bryza he was satisfied with his recent meetings in
Washington on U.S. - Turkey cooperation in Iraq. He
suggested Kirkuk's status should be resolved first through
negotiations and only then subjected to a plebiscite. Turkey
sees Jafari as weak on security issues and hopes the new
Interior and Defense ministers will be more open to
cooperation. If so, the GOT will be ready to re-start
trilateral talks. Celikkol said he was disappointed that
Turkmen would not be represented on the Iraqi National
Security Council and worried this could heighten tension. He
said Tal Afar remained calm; the GOT is encouraging
infrastructure development but remains wary of the security
situation. He complained Barzani had still not responded to
Turkish offers to open additional border gates. End Summary

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Kirkuk and Turkmen
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2. (C) In an April 4 meeting with Bryza, Celikkol was
positive about his recent meetings in Washington and
indicated he had briefed former Congressman Livingston and
Rep Whitfield on Turkish support for Iraq. He said Turkey
appreciated Ambassador Khalilzad's efforts in Iraq and
welcomed better U.S. understanding of Turkish concerns
regarding Kirkuk. He added that a widely acceptable solution
for Kirkuk should be negotiated and then submitted to a
plebiscite. Simply holding a plebiscite without first
working out a proposed solution could lead to serious
tension.


3. (C) Celikkol complained that the Turkmen would not be
represented in the new 19-member Iraqi Security Council,
which could aggravate inter-ethnic tension. He admitted that
the Turkmen were politically divided along confessional lines
but was optimistic that, with Turkey's encouragement, they
would become more unified culturally. He hoped a solution
could be found to include Turkmen in decision-making
structures.

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Trilateral Talks and Security Ministries
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4. (C) Addressing the political situation in Iraq, Celikkol
agreed the pieces are coming together, with the Prime
Ministership as the last major hurdle remaining. He said the
GOT is not against Jafari but views him as weak on security
issues. The GOT is eager to see competent Iraqi defense and
interior ministers named who will be more open to Turkey's
offers of security assistance than the incumbents. Turkey is
talking to all major political groups in Iraqi and
encouraging fast agreement on a government.


5. (C) Bryza asked if the GOT would be prepared to re-start
trilateral (Turkey-U.S.-Iraq) security talks. Celikkol
recognized the need to resume the talks, but wanted to see
who will be named to the interior and defense posts. He
noted Turkey's previous disappointments on security
cooperation with Iraq. Celikkol acknowledged the GOT is
considering the list of Iraqi security equipment needs which
we had provided earlier.

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Talafar Reconstruction and Border Gates
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6. (C) Bryza asked about the situation in Tal Afar. Celikkol
reported the situation there is quiet at the moment and
Turkey is investigating, through its TIKA development agency,
support to infrastructure projects there. While encouraging
Turkish firms already in the area to get involved, the GOT

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remains concerned about security. Baghdad authorities have
also been urging Turkish firms to consider projects in the
capital, he added.


7. (C) On the issue of additional border crossings, Celikkol
said the Turkish offer of two or more new gates which he
repeated during his March contacts in Baghdad, still stands.
Turkey is willing to add a rail crossing as well. He said
that Barzani has still not responded. Celikkol surmised that
Barzani is still worried a gate at Ovakoy would be out of his
control, while noting that, according to Turkish information,
Barzani's concerns were unjustified in that the KDP appears
to control the entire border area. Celikkol admitted,
however, that the GOT will insist that Ovakoy be one of the
new gates since it has been presented to the Turkish public
as a more direct link to Turkey's Turkmen cousins in northern
Iraq. He speculated that Barzani might face similar problems
in agreeing to the Ovakoy crossing, since it had been
presented to Iraqi Kurds as the Turks' favored proposal.

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Turkey's Mosul Consulate
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8. (C) Celikkol expressed appreciation fr U.S. support to
Turkey's efforts to open a consulate in Mosul, understood our
current limitations there, and said Turkey would ask the
Mosul governorate for further logistical support needed to
stand up the consulate.


9. (U) DAS Bryza has cleared this cable.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
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WILSON