TURKEY REQUESTS LIMITED SUPPORT FOR SECOND MISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002699 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2021 TAGS: PREL MOPS TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKEY REQUESTS LIMITED SUPPORT FOR SECOND MISSION TO MOSUL REF: A. ANKARA 842 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. BAGHDAD 558 Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request -- please see para. 6. ¶2. (C) Summary: The Turkish MFA continues to plan to re-open its consulate in Mosul. We have emphasized the need for Turkey to be self-reliant in this endeavor. While we believe MFA understands this, the CG-designate has made some limited requests for assistance. End summary. ¶3. (C) Turkey continues to make plans to re-open its consulate in Mosul. Consul General-designate Avni Botsali agrees with Embassy Baghdad's assessment (ref b) that there are significant challenges ahead for Turkey in achieving this goal, and we have reiterated that he cannot count on the same outstanding level of security and logistics support that PRT Mosul and TF Band of Brothers provided during his visit in February (ref a). ¶4. (C) The benefit of this "tough love" is that Botsali and the MFA have apparently turned in the right direction for support: the Iraqis. Botsali has told us that he is in close contact with the Deputy Governor of Ninewah province, that former IIG President al-Yawar has made a suitable property near the Mosul airport available to Turkey, and that the Iraqi government has approved the Turks' use of this property. Botsali now plans to lead a team down to formally take possession of the property, sign the necessary contracts and paperwork, engage some local staff, and hire contractors to survey the property and decide on necessary improvements. He told us that the GOT is anxious to open up ASAP, within the obvious limits the security situation may present. ¶5. (C) Botsali plans to go to Mosul for four to five days during the week of May 22. This timing may shift because the Governor of Mosul is coming to Ankara o/a May 16 for medical treatment; Botsali is looking into escorting the governor back to Mosul. The governor will provide security escorts around town and lodge Botsali and his team of approximately 10 security guards and five other staff. Botsali hopes to make one or two additional trips to Mosul in June, and to open the consulate as soon as July. ¶6. (C) Action request: While Botsali told us he plans to be as self-sustaining as possible for this mission, he has made some limited requests for assistance from us. He emphasized that MFA will likely soon make the request officially, but asked that we forward these ASAP. He and a few others plan to fly to Mosul by helicopter. In addition, the GOT will send two armored sedans and two armored jeeps by road to Mosul for the group's use. Botsali plans to request: --Clearance for two Turkish military helos (we understand Turkey now has a reliable system for such requests through their liaison officer at CENTCOM HQ); --Security escort for the four Turkish vehicles from the border to Mosul. We asked Botsali if the Iraqis could provide this. He said he was unsure if they would be able to. Additionally, we believe escort may only be needed from the Green Line to Mosul, not all the way from the border. --Botsali recalled that on his last visit he and his team were issued papers they could provide to pass through security checks--he asked these be reissued. --Calls on PRT Chief Munter and BG Rife. Among other issues, Botsali seeks a current political and security assessment of Mosul and to engage on establishing a system for reaching out to PRT Mosul in case of "a crisis." Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON