Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA912
2008-05-12 14:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

Turkey's Pledges USD 1 Million in Assistance to Burma

Tags:  EAID SOCI TU XC 
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VZCZCXYZ0017
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0912 1331446
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121446Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6253
INFO RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0016
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 3009
UNCLAS ANKARA 000912 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: EAID SOCI TU XC
SUBJECT: Turkey's Pledges USD 1 Million in Assistance to Burma


UNCLAS ANKARA 000912

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: EAID SOCI TU XC
SUBJECT: Turkey's Pledges USD 1 Million in Assistance to Burma



1. (SBU) On May 7, the Government of Turkey announced a USD 1
million pledge of humanitarian assistance to Burma to help alleviate
suffering in the aftermath of tropical cyclone Nargis. Turkey will
work through the United Nations to make good on its assistance
pledge. The Turkish Disaster Management Agency (TAY) told us the
GOT is in the process of finalizing a transfer of USD 500,000 to the
UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and USD
500,000 to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).


2. (U) In addition, the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC),an NGO with a
mission similar to the American Red Cross, announced a pledge of USD
600,000 in humanitarian assistance to Burma. Assistance will be
provided in the form of supplies which likely will include water,
medicine and baby food. However, distribution of relief supplies
has been delayed by the lack of Burmese entry permits. According to
the TRC Foreign Relations Department, a four-person TRC evaluation
team has been stuck at the airport in Jakarta, Indonesia since May
8, awaiting permission from the Burmese government to enter the
country.


3. (U) In addition to distributing humanitarian supplies, the TRC
team plans to help restore a memorial dedicated to 1,500 Turkish
POWs who died in Burma after being captured by British forces during
World War I. The memorial was damaged by tropical storm.