TURKEY/IRAQ: TURKEY MEDEVACS INJURED FROM TUZ

UNCLAS ANKARA 001741 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL MARR PHUM IZ TU SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ: TURKEY MEDEVACS INJURED FROM TUZ KORMATO BOMBING, WILLING TO DO MORE REF: SIEBENTRITT-BAGHDAD EMAILS -- JULY 7-8 ¶1. (SBU) Action request at para 4. ¶2. (SBU) The Foreign Ministry's Iraq office expressed to us their appreciation for USG assistance in facilitating the dispatch of two Turkish military medevac aircraft to Kirkuk on July 8 to pick up 21 Iraqis severely injured in the July 7 bombing in Tuz Kormato. Turkish officials acknowledged that their desire to help in this way was motivated by the destructiveness of the attack as well as the fact that many Turkmen, whom Turkey regards as ethnic cousins, were victims of the blast. ¶3. (SBU) MFA Iraq desk officer Yagmur Guldere told us late July 8 that the GOT is prepared to send the two medevac aircraft back to Kirkuk, if requested, to evacuate more wounded for treatment at military and civilian hospitals in Ankara. He said the two aircraft could accommodate as many as 28 wounded and their escorts. Turkey would be willing to send medical supplies and equipment to northern Iraq using the same aircraft, and could even dispatch doctors to work at hospitals in northern Iraq for a short period of time. ¶4. (SBU) Action Request: Please advise if further Turkish assistance in the areas of medevac, medical supplies, and medical staff to deal with the aftermath of the Tuz Kormato bombing would be desirable. If so, post is willing to assist with coordination. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON