MAKHMOUR: TURKEY PREPARED TO DISCUSS TRIPARTITE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006250 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2016 TAGS: PTER PREF PREL UNHCR PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: MAKHMOUR: TURKEY PREPARED TO DISCUSS TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT WITH UNHCR REF: A. ANKARA 5642 ¶B. BARTLETT (PRM) - BURGER (ANKARA) EMAIL 10/30/06 Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) MFA Director General for Security Affairs (S/CT-equivalent) Hayati Guven told the DCM Nov. 1 that Turkey has reversed its position and is prepared to discuss its recommended changes with UNHCR on the draft Tripartite Agreement on the Makhmour refugee camp in northern Iraq. Guven has requested a meeting with UNHCR officials in Geneva Nov. 15 or 16; U.S. presence is welcome, he said. (In fact, Guven would prefer us to be there.) ¶2. (C) Guven reported that FonMin Gul had personally authorized the shift following Gul's Oct. 11 meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Ralston, during which Ralston had requested that the GOT back down from its position that it would not discuss the Tripartite Agreement until after the Iraqi Government had formally agreed to provide the necessary security for UNHCR to carry out its mission to register the camp's 11,000 inhabitants and ascertain whether they desired to return to Turkey. Guven added, however, that Turkey is still waiting for an Iraqi response to the UN High Commissioner's June 1 letter requesting that Iraq provide the required security assets. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Turkey is not yet ready to discuss the Tripartite Agreement with the Iraqis (ref b). The GOT's clear preference is to sort out an agreed text with UNHCR before entering these negotiations. While a trilateral discussion might have proven more efficient, we have successfully moved the Turks away from their previous hardline stance. END COMMENT. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON