ACTION REQUEST: TURKS SEEK USG HELP TO FACILITATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001532 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2017 TAGS: PREL ENRG PGOV PTER TU IZ SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: TURKS SEEK USG HELP TO FACILITATE HIGH-LEVEL IRAQ-TURKEY CONSULTATIONS REF: ANKARA 1337 Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paras 6 and 7. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY: PM Erdogan is inviting Iraqi PM Maliki to visit Turkey later this month to discuss bilateral issues, including security and energy, and the Turks have asked for USG support in convincing Maliki to accept the invitation. The GOT has issued invitations to neighboring countries to send representatives to an expert-level working group meeting on energy in Istanbul June 28-29. During the same time frame, the GOT hopes to convene a trilateral (TU-IZ-US) meeting to discuss longer-term prospects for cooperation on Iraqi gas exports through Turkey. On this issue as well, GOT officials asked for USG help in convincing suitable, policy-level GOI officials who can speak authoritatively on oil/gas export issues to attend. END SUMMARY -------------- MALIKI INVITATION -------------- ¶3. (C) In June 14 and 15 discussions with, respectively, EUR DAS Bryza and the Ambassador, GOT Special Envoy for Iraq Celikkol told us that during his May 27-28 trip to Baghdad (reftel),PM Maliki had proposed to him establishing of a bilateral high-level committee that would meet regularly to discuss issues of mutual interest. In order to establish this committee, go over bilateral issues of immediate concern (read: PKK),and demonstrate strong Turkish support for the Maliki government in view of his apparent concern that the neighbors are conspiring against him, Erdogan is inviting Maliki to visit Turkey either June 18 or June 27. Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Kanbay will reportedly see Maliki June 17 to convey Erdogan's letter. Celikkol admitted that June 18 was almost certainly too short notice, but hoped June 27 would be more realistic. Based on Celikkol's previous experience in the region (including serving as Turkey's Ambassador in Damascus),he expected that Maliki's proposed committee would consist of periodic gatherings of ministers under prime ministerial direction. -------------- NEIGHBORS ENERGY WORKING GROUP -------------- ¶4. (C) In Celikkol's view, a June 27 Maliki visit would happily coincide with a June 28-29 expert-level Iraq-neighbors working group meeting on energy issues in Istanbul. Celikkol reported that -- on Iraq's instructions -- the GOT had issued invitations for the working group meeting to all the neighboring countries (except, oddly, Jordan) plus the Arab League and the UN. He added that the Iraqis had told him that Jordan and others present at Sharm -- including the P-5 -- are welcome to participate as observers. Celikkol noted that the Iraqis had presented a "very preliminary" agenda for the working group meeting (full text in para. 8) which concentrates on Iraqi imports of electricity and fuel products. Celikkol downplayed the prospects for real progress at this working group meeting, but said it is important to show progress post-Sharm. He understood that the other two WGs (refugees and security) are proceeding even more slowly, and that Syria is hesitant even to host the security WG. -------------- TRILATERAL GAS MEETING -------------- ¶5. (C) Celikkol underscored strong GOT interest in pursuing further IZ-TU-US trilateral discussions on cooperation with Iraq on natural gas development and export. The GOT is prepared to host that meeting during the same June 28-29 time ANKARA 00001532 002 OF 003 frame in Istanbul and hopes the GOI will be able to send senior Oil Ministry officials as well as key presidential and prime ministerial advisers who can speak authoritatively on gas development. He hoped that some of these players might accompany Maliki to Turkey, thus making it convenient for them to participate in the trilateral discussion. He recognized that the working-level experts Baghdad plans to send to the neighbors working group meeting are not appropriate for the trilateral meeting. -------------- ACTION REQUESTS -------------- ¶6. (C) Celikkol said the GOT would appreciate USG help in convincing Maliki to accept Erdogan's invitation and also prevailing upon appropriate Iraqi officials to participate in the energy trilat. DAS Bryza responded that the U.S. is very interested in the trilateral energy meeting and that we would do what we can to ensure suitable representation from Baghdad. ¶7. (C) Ambassador has strongly encouraged Turkey to establish more direct and effective contacts with the Iraqis. Especially in view of the tense PKK situation and Maliki's apparent fear that his neighbors are conspiring to oust him, we believe GOT efforts to reach out to him deserves strong support, as does the effort to pursue trilateral discussions on energy issues, particularly gas. We recommend Department instruct Embassy Baghdad to urge Maliki to accept Erdogan's invitation for June 27 consultations, as well as to urge appropriate senior officials to participate in the proposed gas trilateral meeting. We also recommend Department instruct embassies in Iraq's neighboring states to encourage participation in the June 28-29 working group experts meeting and request Department's guidance on agenda items and other points we want to be sure the GOT incorporates into its preparations for both meetings. END ACTION REQUESTS -------------- WORKING GROUP AGENDA -------------- ¶8. (C) Text of GOI preliminary agenda for the Iraq neighbors working group meeting on energy issues, along with a list of Iraqi participants, as handed to us by MFA: BEGIN TEXT (Unofficial Translation) Subjects which will be discussed in the meeting of Fuel and Energy Committee in Turkey during the period of 28-29 June 2007 - Which related to Electricity Sector ¶1. Position of Electricity System --Designed capacity. --Current available capacity. --Position of Energy transforming networks. ¶2. Future Plan of the Ministry to add new power and expected investment. ¶3. Current and future electrical liaison with Neighboring States. ¶4. Requirements of equipment and systems for Energy transforming networks to qualify and solve sub-station crowded. ¶5. Requirement of Energy producing Sector. ¶6. Requirement of operating and controlling Sector. ¶7. Requirement of distributing Sector. - Which related to Oil Sector ¶1. Working on limiting smuggling by land and sea and not to encourage that, to find working mechanism in this regard. ANKARA 00001532 003 OF 003 ¶2. To facilitate border procedures and to work on specifying separate entry point for this activity which contributes in streamline fluent oil product to Iraq. ¶3. To allow specialized Iraqi Trucks to enter Neighboring States to transport oil products to support imported quantities augmentation such as local companies which belongs to these States. ¶4. Working to activate other ways of transportation like train, for example, to contribute in augmenting importations. ¶5. To hold continuous meetings for all parties according to committee formed in this regard which aimed to solve any differences, if it is found, and to develop this operation. ¶6. To contract with Governmental Establishment as far as possible according to Commercial Agreement between the two Countries and to avoid contract with local Businessmen of that Country. ¶7. To facilitate contracting conditions and not to impose incapacitate (disabling) conditions which Iraq couldn't implement such as delay penalty or well-implement guarantee and other. List of Iraqi participants: H.E. Jawad al-Hindawi, Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of Delegation Mr. Abdulhadi Fadhil Ahmed, Counselor, Foreign Ministry Dr. Adil Hamid Mehdi, Ministry of Electricity Mr. Hashim Adbulemir Ardi, Director General, SOMO Mr. Majid Kadhim al-Hilfi, Ministry of Oil Mr. Abdulilah Kasim al-Amir, Counselor, Specialist on Oil, Prime Ministry Mr. Ahmed Hashim Salih, Foreign Ministry Dr. Zaid Mejid Hassan, Office of the Undersecretary, Foreign Ministry Mr. Mohammed Hassan Ibrahim, Expert, Ministry of Electricity Mr. Mehdi Salih Jawad, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Electricity END TEXT ¶9. (U) DAS Bryza did not have an opportunity to clear this message before leaving Ankara. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON