TURKEY: MFA DEPUTY U/S SINIRLIOGLU ON IRAQ,

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002016 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS PINS PGOV TU IZ IR SUBJECT: TURKEY: MFA DEPUTY U/S SINIRLIOGLU ON IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN REF: A. ANKARA 1964 ¶B. ANKARA 1933 ¶C. ANKARA 1917 Classified By: CDA Doug Silliman, for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (S) Summary: MFA Deputy Undersecretary for the Middle East and South Asia Feridun Sinirlioglu provided CDA with an overview of pressing regional issues November 19. He reported that President Gul intends to visit cities outside Baghdad in addition to the capital during his upcoming Iraq visit, which could occur as early as December. The GOT continues to push Damascus to enhance bilateral relations with Baghdad despite Syrian misgivings following the border incident. Regarding South Asia, Sinirlioglu reported Afghan President Karzai has accepted the invitation to the December 5 trilateral Turkey-Pakistan-Afghanistan Summit in Istanbul. He added that General Dostum's future is "back on track." Turkey also intends to increase its contributions to Afghan police training in Wardak Province. End Summary. Iraq -------------- ¶2. (S) Deputy Undersecretary Sinirlioglu reported relations with the KRG are improving (refs a, b). The main obstacle remains the PKK; the Kurdish leadership is slowly realizing that they must take action. Sinirlioglu noted President Gul intends to travel to Iraq prior to the Turkish local elections in March 2009, preferably before the end of the year. Contingent on the security situation, Gul plans to visit several northern and southern cities outside Baghdad, including Erbil. Administrative problems have delayed the opening of Turkey's consulate in Basra. The MFA had originally intended to build a new facility, but will now most likely rent an office until construction is completed. Iraq/Syria -------------- ¶3. (C) Sinirlioglu said the GOT continues to encourage Iraqi-Syrian rapprochement. Damascus exhibited some initial apprehensions following the recent border incident, but the GOT underscored the event should have no bearings on Syria's bilateral relationship with Iraq. Sinirlioglu noted that Syrian FM Moualim reportedly stated he was surprised the border incident occurred as the Secretary and Assistant Secretary Welch had both welcomed Syrian efforts to crack down on the flow of foreign fighters and weapons into Iraq during their last meeting. Moualim added that Damascus was planning to send a large minister-led delegation to Baghdad, which the GOT supports. Afghanistan/Pakistan -------------- ¶4. (C) Sinirlioglu reported Afghan President Karzai has accepted the invitation to the Pakistan-Afghanistan Summit hosted in Istanbul, December 5 (ref c). The GOT intends to establish several confidence building projects, including a possible joint anti-terrorism or anti-insurgent military exercise. Sinirlioglu noted that Karzai has a congenial relationship with both Pakistani PM Gillani and President Zardari. However, this is not enough. To improve relations, institutional rapprochement is necessary. ¶5. (C) Sinirlioglu told CDA that Turkey will increase its efforts to train the Afghan police, including expanding its police training facility at the Turkish-led PRT in Wardak province. He noted that Uzbek strongman General Abdul Rashid Dostum's future is "back on track," adding that Karzai has come to realize that he needs the Turkmen's support. India -------------- ¶6. (C) Commenting on PM Erdogan's November 20-24 trip to India, Sinirlioglu said that Turkey is placing a new onus on developing positive relations so as to better facilitate communication between New Delhi and Islamabad. He added that Turkey and India are both secular democracies and face similar threats from internal terrorism. The GOT also plans to open new consulates in Mumbai and possibly Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kapurthala. President Gul also plans to visit in 2009. ANKARA 00002016 002 OF 002 CSCM -------------- ¶7. (C) Sinirlioglu reported that President Gul did not announce the Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Middle East (CSCM) during his UNGA speech as originally intended due to an ongoing debate amongst Arab League members regarding Israel's membership. Sinirlioglu noted that Bahraini PM Khalifa extended his support for the program to Gul on the margins and reportedly referenced the CSCM during his own UNGA address. The SARG and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, however, remain skeptical that Israeli participation would give the impression of normalizing relations prior to any resolution of core issues. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey SILLIMAN