TURKEY SUPPORTIVE OF AFGHAN RULE OF LAW CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001674 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2017 TAGS: KJUS EAID AF TU SUBJECT: TURKEY SUPPORTIVE OF AFGHAN RULE OF LAW CONFERENCE BUT STRETCHED BY EXISTING ASSISTANCE REF: A. STATE 87370 ¶B. ANKARA 1456 Classified By: Economic Counselor Tom Goldberger for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: In keeping with the high priority it attaches to Afghanistan, the Turkish Government plans to send Under Secretary Apakan (D equivalent) to the Rome Conference. Although Turkey will be supportive of Rule of Law initiatives it will not be in a position to pledge additional monies for this effort. Afghanistan already ranks as ONE of the largest recipients of Turkish development and military assistance. Turkey currently provides $100 million for the former, but also has a PRT, conducts police training and has recently increased its troop contribution to ISAF. End Summary. ¶2. (C) We presented ref a demarche to MFA Afghanistan desk officer Ilhan Sener. He stressed the priority Turkey attaches to Afghanistan, going back to Afghan support for the Turkish war of liberation in the 1920's. Barring unforeseen circumstances, MFA Under Secretary Ertugrul Apakan will lead the Turkish delegation, accompanied by Deputy Under Secretary Feridun Sinirlioglu. Apakan will make a speech in which Turkish support for the Rule of Law effort and the Provincial Justice Coordination Mechanism will be mentioned. ¶3. (C) Sener explained that Turkey will not be in a position to make a new pledge, given budgetary constraints and Turkey's already significant actions in support of Afghanistan. Sener noted that Turkey is providing $100 million over five years in development assistance to Afghanistan, focused on education, HEALTH and agriculture. Turkey's PRT in Wardak province, troop contributions to ISAF, and police training are outside of this $100 million envelope. Turkey has recently increased its troop contribution to ISAF to 1,300 troops and has donated 24 howitzers and an associated training package to the Afghan army. Sener said that the Turkish National Police have conducted training programs for a total of 300 Afghans and have provided Afghan police with assorted equipment. 50 are local police in Wardak, 100 were brought to Turkey for a variety of police training programs, and 150 received counternarcotics training. ¶4. (SBU) Turkey is also leading a trilateral effort to promote dialogue and cooperation between the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, through implementation of the principles of the Ankara Declaration, adopted in April 2007. The first meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Turkey Joint Working Group, created to monitor the implementation of the Declaration,s principles, will be held in Ankara, on July 6. U/S Apakan will host this Deputy Foreign Minister-level meeting. 5.(C) Comment: Given Turkey's income level (per capita GDP of $5,400) and its fiscal constraints under its IMF program its existing and pledged support for Afghanistan is substantial. Afghanistan is ONE of the largest recipient countries for Turkey's modest overseas development assistance, expected to total only $750 million in 2007. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON