IRAQ: TURKEY EAGER TO MOVE ON NEIGHBORS CONFERENCES

S E C R E T ANKARA 000372 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2027 TAGS: PREL PGOV TU IZ IR SY EG SA SUBJECT: IRAQ: TURKEY EAGER TO MOVE ON NEIGHBORS CONFERENCES REF: A. BAGHDAD 600 ¶B. SATTERFIELD-WILSON EMAIL 2/14/07 Classified By: Ambassador Wilson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Following up on ref email conveying the Secretary's interest in pursuing FonMin Gul's proposal to host a senior "Iraq neighbors" plus P5/G8 meeting in the near future, Ambassador met Feb. 16 with Gul and Feb. 19 with GOT Special Coordinator for Iraq Celikkol. They confirmed that Turkey envisions a senior officials/envoy meeting in Baghdad Feb. 26 or 27, then an "Iraq neighbors" ministerial in Cairo in early March. The ministerial would in turn invite the neighbors plus P5 plus G8 to a senior-level (minister or above) meeting in Istanbul in late March or early April. ¶2. (S) Celikkol asserted that Egypt and Kuwait have agreed to this program, and that Gul got the Saudis on board during his Feb. 17-18 visit there. However, Celikkol added, the Saudis are still quite hesitant to send even a senior official to Baghdad; he asked us to work on Riyadh toward this. Celikkol said Gul will pitch the concept to Iranian FM Mottaki during his Feb. 20 visit to Ankara. Celikkol believed that if the Iraqis are on board for this series of meetings, the Iranians will not/cannot refuse, even though they will be reluctant to go to Cairo. He added that Turkey will be able to deliver the Syrians on this plan. ¶3. (S) Celikkol complained that Iraqi FonMin Zibari appears to be insisting that the senior officials meeting in Baghdad be held March 11-12, thus pushing the entire process back. Zibari reportedly told the Turkish Ambassador in Baghdad Feb. 17 that the meeting cannot be held earlier for security reasons. Celikkol emphasized the GOT view that this meeting be held as soon as possible, and asked that we raise the issue in Baghdad. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON