Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA1494
2007-06-12 12:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
NOT PROTESTING TOO MUCH? IRAQI MFA CALLS IN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001494
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: NOT PROTESTING TOO MUCH? IRAQI MFA CALLS IN
TURKISH CHARGE ON CROSS-BORDER SHELLING
Classified By: Deputy PolCouns Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001494
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: NOT PROTESTING TOO MUCH? IRAQI MFA CALLS IN
TURKISH CHARGE ON CROSS-BORDER SHELLING
Classified By: Deputy PolCouns Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
1. (C) Following up on press reports that the Iraqi MFA had
handed an official note of protest to the Turkish Embassy in
Baghdad on June 9, we called June 12 on MFA Head of
Department for Iraq Fazli Corman. Corman confirmed that
Iraq's MFA Undersecretary Mahmoud had indeed called in the
Charge and handed him a note, but was careful to explain that
the note was "not a protest as such." Indeed, Corman
reported that during their meeting the Turkish Charge asked
the Iraqi Undersecretary if the note was one of protest (the
note was in Arabic, which the Turkish diplomat cannot read),
in which case he would likely have refused to receive it.
The Iraqis apparently confirmed that it was not.
2. (C) Corman reported that upon translation the Iraqi note
was mild in tone, and contained neither language of protest
nor of legal or other remedies Iraq was prepared to pursue in
response to Turkish military action. As was reported in the
Turkish press, the note asserted that the Turkish military
shelled several locations just over the border, causing fires
and frightening local residents. The GOI asked that such
action cease, and reconfirmed Iraq's willingness to engage in
trilateral (U.S.-Turkey-Iraq) talks to deal with the PKK
issue.
3. (C) Despite these diplomatic niceties, however, Corman
reported that GOT officials were displeased when, just after
this meeting, the GOI released a statement noting that the
Iraqi MFA had "protested" the shelling. Corman said this
statement was in turn picked up by Iraqi Kurdish media
sources -- who also report in Turkish, thus influencing the
press here -- who spun the meeting into something more than
it was. Corman commented dryly that the GOI did not
officially protest alleged Iranian shelling of Iraqi Kurdish
territory last year, or at least it was not reported in the
press. He reported that the GOT is still considering how to
respond -- if at all -- to the Iraqis' note.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: NOT PROTESTING TOO MUCH? IRAQI MFA CALLS IN
TURKISH CHARGE ON CROSS-BORDER SHELLING
Classified By: Deputy PolCouns Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.
1. (C) Following up on press reports that the Iraqi MFA had
handed an official note of protest to the Turkish Embassy in
Baghdad on June 9, we called June 12 on MFA Head of
Department for Iraq Fazli Corman. Corman confirmed that
Iraq's MFA Undersecretary Mahmoud had indeed called in the
Charge and handed him a note, but was careful to explain that
the note was "not a protest as such." Indeed, Corman
reported that during their meeting the Turkish Charge asked
the Iraqi Undersecretary if the note was one of protest (the
note was in Arabic, which the Turkish diplomat cannot read),
in which case he would likely have refused to receive it.
The Iraqis apparently confirmed that it was not.
2. (C) Corman reported that upon translation the Iraqi note
was mild in tone, and contained neither language of protest
nor of legal or other remedies Iraq was prepared to pursue in
response to Turkish military action. As was reported in the
Turkish press, the note asserted that the Turkish military
shelled several locations just over the border, causing fires
and frightening local residents. The GOI asked that such
action cease, and reconfirmed Iraq's willingness to engage in
trilateral (U.S.-Turkey-Iraq) talks to deal with the PKK
issue.
3. (C) Despite these diplomatic niceties, however, Corman
reported that GOT officials were displeased when, just after
this meeting, the GOI released a statement noting that the
Iraqi MFA had "protested" the shelling. Corman said this
statement was in turn picked up by Iraqi Kurdish media
sources -- who also report in Turkish, thus influencing the
press here -- who spun the meeting into something more than
it was. Corman commented dryly that the GOI did not
officially protest alleged Iranian shelling of Iraqi Kurdish
territory last year, or at least it was not reported in the
press. He reported that the GOT is still considering how to
respond -- if at all -- to the Iraqis' note.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON