MAKHMOUR: GOT CONTEMPLATING UNHCR OPERATIONS PLAN,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002793 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2021 TAGS: PTER MOPS PREL PREF TU IZ UN SUBJECT: MAKHMOUR: GOT CONTEMPLATING UNHCR OPERATIONS PLAN, MFA OFFICIAL PLANS FOR GENEVA DISCUSSIONS REF: ANKARA 2508 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) UNHCR-Turkey informed us May 12 that UNHCR-Geneva had forwarded its draft Operations Plan for effecting durable solutions for the residents of Makhmour refugee camp in northern Iraq to the U.S. and Turkish permanent missions in Geneva, and that UNHCR-Turkey had forwarded the plan to MFA Director General for Security Affairs (S/CT-equivalent) Hayati Guven as well. Later on May 12, Guven confirmed to us that he had received the plan, but could not comment substantively on it as yet. ¶2. (C) Subsequently Guven told us May 16 that he has reviewed the plan in detail and forwarded it to a number of agencies within the GOT for discussion. He will lead an interagency meeting regarding Makhmour on May 24. While he cautioned that he could not comment officially until that time, he believed the plan would be acceptable in principle and that he would be prepared to engage in meaningful discussions on it with the U.S. and UNHCR in Geneva. He will travel to Geneva June 1 or 2; the Turkish Mission there is working on meetings for him. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON