Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA2523
2007-10-12 07:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: IRAQ NEIGHBORS MINISTERIAL PLANNING UPDATE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002523
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/I AND EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2017
TAGS: PREL IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: IRAQ NEIGHBORS MINISTERIAL PLANNING UPDATE
REF: ANKARA 2460
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002523
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/I AND EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2017
TAGS: PREL IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: IRAQ NEIGHBORS MINISTERIAL PLANNING UPDATE
REF: ANKARA 2460
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: Turkish MFA Iraq Coordinator Oguz Celikkol
met October 11 with the Ambassador to provide an update on
planning for the Iraq Neighbors Ministerial in Istanbul,
November 2-3. The MFA is finishing the draft statement and
will provide it to us on or about October 15. Celikkol
provided a draft schedule for the Ministerial and reported
the UNSYG will not attend due to a scheduling conflict. He
appealed for help in changing the decision. The MFA remains
interested in some kind of role in Istanbul for President
Talibani. Regarding overall assistance to Iraq, Celikkol
said Turkey stands ready to train 1,000 senior Iraqi police
officers as soon as the GOI provides the names and requested
courses. End Summary.
2. (C) The Ambassador met October 11 with MFA Iraq
Coordinator Oguz Celikkol to discuss plans for the upcoming
Iraq Neighbors Ministerial in Istanbul, November 2-3.
Celikkol reported the MFA is finalizing the draft statement,
in line with his conversations with the Department during his
recent visit. We can expect a draft on or about October 15.
After receiving U.S. input, MFA plans to circulate the text
to the 22 delegations for comment no later than the week of
October 22.
3. (C) Turkish PM Erdogan, President Gul, and FM Babacan
will represent the GOT at the Ministerial. Celikkol said the
Office of the UNSYG notified Turkey's UN Mission that the
UNSYG will not attend the Ministerial, apparently due to a
scheduling conflict; UN Under Secretary for Political Affairs
Lynn Pascoe will participate in his stead. For the GOT,
Ban's participation is essential to legitimizing the
Ministerial and the UN's role in Iraq. However, some nations
continue to object to the UNSYG's proposed support mechanism
to facilitate the Neighbors process.
4. (C) Celikkol emphasized the importance of Iraqi President
Talibani's involvement at the Ministerial, despite political
sensitivities. Talibani need not be a member of the
delegation, but could us the Ministerial as an excuse to
establish contact with Gul. If Gul hosts a luncheon for
Ministerial participants November 3, Talabani could attend as
his counterpart. Celikkol said Turkey cannot invite the
Iraqi president without irritating PM Malaki and sought
advice on host to prompt a decision by the President that he
should attend. Ambassador reviewed Embassy Baghdad's
concerns about having Talabani attend, but undertook to relay
Celikkol's thoughts.
5. (C) On other Iraq-related issues, Celikkol reported the
MFA plans to send an advance team to Basra after the Ramadan
holidays to scout locations for their new consulate. The
team is currently in London to discuss their new facility and
the possibility of creating an economic zone in Basra. As
part of the USD 50 million in assistance previously pledged
to support Iraqi reconstruction, Celikkol noted the GOT had
agreed to train 1,000 high-level Iraqi police officers. The
GOT is prepared to begin training, but continues to wait for
the GOI to provide names and course requests. Aside from the
offer of police training, the GOT has supported school,
judicial, and hospital projects in Mosul.
6. (C) The MFA plans to hold the Ministerial at the Ciragan
Palace. The draft schedule is as follows:
November 2 2230 Working Dinner (principal 2)
November 3 1000 Group Photo
1005 Working Session (principal 6)
1400 Break
1430 Official Luncheon hosted by
President Gul
(participants TBD)
ANKARA 00002523 002 OF 002
1530 Closing Session (principal 6)
1700 Press Conference (Babacan and Zebari)
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/I AND EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2017
TAGS: PREL IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: IRAQ NEIGHBORS MINISTERIAL PLANNING UPDATE
REF: ANKARA 2460
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Summary: Turkish MFA Iraq Coordinator Oguz Celikkol
met October 11 with the Ambassador to provide an update on
planning for the Iraq Neighbors Ministerial in Istanbul,
November 2-3. The MFA is finishing the draft statement and
will provide it to us on or about October 15. Celikkol
provided a draft schedule for the Ministerial and reported
the UNSYG will not attend due to a scheduling conflict. He
appealed for help in changing the decision. The MFA remains
interested in some kind of role in Istanbul for President
Talibani. Regarding overall assistance to Iraq, Celikkol
said Turkey stands ready to train 1,000 senior Iraqi police
officers as soon as the GOI provides the names and requested
courses. End Summary.
2. (C) The Ambassador met October 11 with MFA Iraq
Coordinator Oguz Celikkol to discuss plans for the upcoming
Iraq Neighbors Ministerial in Istanbul, November 2-3.
Celikkol reported the MFA is finalizing the draft statement,
in line with his conversations with the Department during his
recent visit. We can expect a draft on or about October 15.
After receiving U.S. input, MFA plans to circulate the text
to the 22 delegations for comment no later than the week of
October 22.
3. (C) Turkish PM Erdogan, President Gul, and FM Babacan
will represent the GOT at the Ministerial. Celikkol said the
Office of the UNSYG notified Turkey's UN Mission that the
UNSYG will not attend the Ministerial, apparently due to a
scheduling conflict; UN Under Secretary for Political Affairs
Lynn Pascoe will participate in his stead. For the GOT,
Ban's participation is essential to legitimizing the
Ministerial and the UN's role in Iraq. However, some nations
continue to object to the UNSYG's proposed support mechanism
to facilitate the Neighbors process.
4. (C) Celikkol emphasized the importance of Iraqi President
Talibani's involvement at the Ministerial, despite political
sensitivities. Talibani need not be a member of the
delegation, but could us the Ministerial as an excuse to
establish contact with Gul. If Gul hosts a luncheon for
Ministerial participants November 3, Talabani could attend as
his counterpart. Celikkol said Turkey cannot invite the
Iraqi president without irritating PM Malaki and sought
advice on host to prompt a decision by the President that he
should attend. Ambassador reviewed Embassy Baghdad's
concerns about having Talabani attend, but undertook to relay
Celikkol's thoughts.
5. (C) On other Iraq-related issues, Celikkol reported the
MFA plans to send an advance team to Basra after the Ramadan
holidays to scout locations for their new consulate. The
team is currently in London to discuss their new facility and
the possibility of creating an economic zone in Basra. As
part of the USD 50 million in assistance previously pledged
to support Iraqi reconstruction, Celikkol noted the GOT had
agreed to train 1,000 high-level Iraqi police officers. The
GOT is prepared to begin training, but continues to wait for
the GOI to provide names and course requests. Aside from the
offer of police training, the GOT has supported school,
judicial, and hospital projects in Mosul.
6. (C) The MFA plans to hold the Ministerial at the Ciragan
Palace. The draft schedule is as follows:
November 2 2230 Working Dinner (principal 2)
November 3 1000 Group Photo
1005 Working Session (principal 6)
1400 Break
1430 Official Luncheon hosted by
President Gul
(participants TBD)
ANKARA 00002523 002 OF 002
1530 Closing Session (principal 6)
1700 Press Conference (Babacan and Zebari)
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON