TURKEY INVITED TO AFGHANISTAN PRT EFFECTIVENESS

UNCLAS ANKARA 004061 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS TU AF XD AORC NATO SUBJECT: TURKEY INVITED TO AFGHANISTAN PRT EFFECTIVENESS CONFERENCE REF: A. SECSTATE 102464 ¶B. SECSTATE 112030 ¶1. (SBU) We called on the MFA Deputy Director General for South Asia, Babur Hizlan, on July 10 to invite Turkey to the July 20-21 conference on enhancing Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) effectiveness co-sponsored by the governments of Canada and the United States and hosted by the Government of Hungary in Budapest (reftels). Hizlan expressed appreciation for the invitation, about which MFA had already heard from its embassy in Kabul. Hizlan anticipates that Turkish representatives at the conference will be the prospective civilian coordinator for the Wardak Province PRT and a military representative. One of Hizlan's aides called July 11 to inform us that MFA Director General for the Middle East and South Asia, Bozkurt Aran, may attend as well. ¶2. (SBU) We also inquired about the latest status of Turkey's PRT in Wardak Province. Hizlan reported that initial operations will probably be delayed until November, since a construction company still has not been named; he believes a company will be named in a few weeks. Nevertheless, Turkey will deliver development aid before construction is completed. In addition, Ambassador Koray Targay, the Turkish Coordinator for Reconstruction in Afghanistan and Iraq, is currently in Wardak with TIKA (the Turkish AID-equivalent) representatives to determine whether any projects can be launched before the PRT is operational. Once operational, Turkey expects that the PRT will be staffed by 60-70 military personnel and 15-20 security personnel for force protection and police training. MFA, MOI, and TIKA short-term personnel will rotate to the PRT as needed. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON