STAFFDEL ASHWORTH HEARS TURKISH VIEWS ON IRAQ, NATO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001455

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2017
TAGS: OREP PREL MARR MOPS NATO IZ TU
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL ASHWORTH HEARS TURKISH VIEWS ON IRAQ, NATO

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


1. (C) Summary: Turkey's Special Representative for Iraq
Ahmet Oguz Celikkol told Staffdel Ashworth May 29 that
reluctance from Baghdad is preventing Turkey from doing more
for Iraq, including assistance with restructuring its Defense
and Interior Ministries. The GOT fears most the breakup of
Iraq and the resulting devastating effect on regional
security. Senior Iraqi leaders appear sympathetic to Turkish
concerns about the PKK, but have encouraged the GOT to
communicate directly with KRG President Barzani, which Turkey
is willing to do but has found practically impossible given
Barzani's inflammatory rhetoric. In a separate meeting, MFA
NATO Head of Department Ahmet Ihsan Kiziltan told the
Staffdel that Turkey's participation in NATO remains vibrant
and that GOT military contributions to alliance efforts
include Turkey's taking command of KFOR Multinational Task
Force South in Kosovo on May 29. End summary

Contributions to Iraq
--------------


2. (C) Turkey has been increasingly concerned with sectarian
divisions in Iraq and Shia-Sunni violence, and has sought to
find ways to help stabilize the country, Celikkol told the
staffdel, including broadening the political discussion.
Turkey had brought Sunni leaders to the late 2005 Istanbul
conference in an effort at political reconciliation. The GOT
is concerned about the capacity of some Iraqi ministries, and
is ready to provide assistance to restructure the Defense and
Interior Ministries, but Baghdad's reluctance has prevented a
higher level of Turkish aid to Iraq.


3. (C) Ambassador Celikkol stressed that Turkey's economic
contributions were important to Iraq, noting the large number
of Turkish firms that operate in northern Iraq; two-way trade
is valued at nearly $10 billion annually. A high percentage
of northern Iraq's energy needs and MNFI fuel requirements
are met by imports from Turkey through the Habur Gate land
border crossing.

Iraqi Unity Essential
--------------


4. (C) The political unity of Iraq is crucial to the security
of the entire region, Celikkol emphasized. Turkey's
nightmare is a full-fledged civil war in the aftermath of
which Iraq is divided in three mini-states: a Shia state
controlled by Iran in the south which would have the bulk of
the oil resources; a Sunni state which would be a breeding
ground for al-Qaeda and threaten Turkey, Jordan, Saudi
Arabia, and the Gulf states; and a land-locked, "unwanted,
and out-of-control" Kurdish state in the north. These
mini-states would have a devastating effect on the security
and power balance in the region.


5. (C) Celikkol told the staffdel that the full extent of
Iranian influence in Iraq was not known, but that since most
Shia groups in Iraq had their origins in Iran and had
suffered for so long from persecution under Saddam, there
were clearly very strong connections to Iran. Turkey is
reaching out to Iraqi Shias, he added. For this reason,
Turkey is considering opening a new consulate in Basra.

We Will Talk with Barzani
--------------


6. (C) Noting the many discussions he had in Baghdad May
27-28, Celikkol said that Prime Minister al-Maliki recognizes
that the PKK is a terrorist organization. Other senior Iraqi
leaders expressed sympathy for Turkey's frustrations with PKK
safehavens in northern Iraq, but advised Turkey to discuss
the problem with Barzani. Celikkol told the staffdel that
Turkey wants to talk to Barzani and hopes to do so, but that
every time a meeting has been in the offing, Barzani had made
inflammatory public remarks which had made it impossible for
senior Turkish officials to meet with him. It is important
that some PKK leaders be arrested and a few camps be closed,
he stressed.

Turkish Contributions to NATO

ANKARA 00001455 002 OF 002


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7. (C) In a separate meeting with the MFA NATO Department,
Department Head Ahmet Ihsan Kiziltan told the Staffdel that
Turkey had weathered many political storms in NATO, but that
Turkey's participation the alliance remained vibrant. It was
a solid, long-term relationship. Since national security is
paramount, Turkey's membership in NATO is more important than
its accession to the EU. Turkey supports NATO enlargement,
both geographically and functionally, and has contributed to
NATO military and assistance missions to Bosnia, Kosovo,
Darfur, and Afghanistan. Kiziltan noted that Turkey took
over the command of NATO's KFOR Multinational Task Force
South in Kosovo on May 29.


8. (U) Ms. Ashworth has cleared this cable.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON