TURKEY TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTION TO UN/AU OPERATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001699 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2017 TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC MASS TU SU SUBJECT: TURKEY TO CONSIDER CONTRIBUTION TO UN/AU OPERATION IN DARFUR REF: STATE 90022 Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Carl Siebentritt for reason s 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (U) Per reftel request, we met with MFA Head of Department for Africa and East Asia Raif Karaca on July 3 to request Turkey consider a contribution of military troops and/or police officers to the UN/AU Hybrid Operation to be stood up in Darfur, Sudan. Karaca was familiar with the mission and said that Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to alleviate the situation in Sudan through its contributions of 25 civilian police to UNMIS in southern Sudan and of a military field hospital and doctors to Yala, Sudan. According to Karaca, Turkey is currently scouting locations in Yala to build a permanent hospital that would eventually replace the field hospital. It has also donated the use of a C-160 aircraft to transport troops to join UNMIS. ¶2. (C) Given its demonstrated commitment to Sudan, Karaca said, Turkey would consider making some type of contribution to the UN/AU Hybrid Operation. However, he would not speculate whether that would be in the form of troops, civilian police or equipment. Given US interest, he pledged to raise the issue with his superiors for discussion in advance of the expected mid-July UN Security Council adoption of a resolution on the operation. Karaca underscored, however, that the Turkish government is preoccupied with preparations for July 22 general elections and he could not estimate when a response would be forthcoming. We noted the importance of rapidly standing up the operation and urged a decision in advance of the UN Security Council meeting. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON