TURKEY BUSILY PREPARING FOR AFGHANISTAN ASSISTANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001053 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2019 TAGS: NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF TU SUBJECT: TURKEY BUSILY PREPARING FOR AFGHANISTAN ASSISTANCE BEYOND ELECTIONS REF: SECSTATE 74362 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Jenifer H. Moore for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: MFA officials fully agree with the need to press forward on supporting Afghanistan post-elections and welcome a "whole of government" approach. The GOT has already obligated the USD 200 million pledged at the June 2008 Paris and January 2006 London Donors Conferences, and expects to continue with current development projects as well as increase capacity building efforts in the agriculture, education and security (police forces) sectors. Turkey is also considering establishing a GOT-funded university in Afghanistan. Following complaints by the Turkic populations in the North, Ankara may readjust the distribution percentages of its aid to give greater emphasis to the North. Plans to reassume command of RC-Capital, to send three OMLTs to Kabul by November 1 and to stand up a second PRT in Jawzjan Province by early 2010 are on track. MFA officials were reluctant to commit to extending the deployment of Turkish forces in support of the Election Support Force, but said the end of deployment date will be determined in consultation with NATO. They also expressed concern about the lack of coordination between civilian efforts, particularly between the PRTs. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) On July 21, we reviewed reftel points with MFA Afghanistan Division Head Emre Karagol and NATO Section Head Turker Ari (NOTE: Ari will assume leadership of Turkey's Wardak PRT in September). Both Ari and Karagol expressed strong support for the comprehensive "whole of government" approach reflected in reftel points and said that this was in line with Turkey's policy, as reflected in Turkey's contributions in both civilian and military channels. ¶3. (C) The GOT is on track to reassume command of RC-Capital on November 1 and anticipates that there will be between 1600 to 1900 Turkish troops in Kabul for the command rotation, reported Ari. The three additional OMLTs pledged will also be in place by November 1. Ari and Karagol confirmed that Turkey is actively planning to deploy a civilian-led PRT in Jawzjan Province, using Turkey's Wardak PRT as a model. Turkey is in discussions with the Swedish Government about possible coordination and support for its new PRT. Preparatory work for Turkish participation in the European Gendermerie Force's deployment has already been done but, according to Ari, Turkey is awaiting clarification from NATO regarding the modalities and scope of the mission. Ari underscored that dissemination of an updated Combined Joint Statement of Requirements (CJSOR) would be crucial for planning. Ari and Karagol expressed doubt as to whether Turkey would be able to extend the deployment of Turkey's contributions to the Election Support Force, but said it will determine the deployment's end date in consultation with NATO. Ari stressed that Turkey's priorities in the near term are to deploy its forces and trainers to Kabul and to stand up the Jawzjan PRT. ¶4. (C) Turkey is planning to send staff and trainers to the Afghan National Defense University and the National War College. Ari explained that although this assistance is in-line with NATO efforts, it will be provided to Afghanistan on a bilateral basis. ¶5. (C) Regarding civilian aid, Karagol said that Turkey's priorities have traditionally been in the agriculture, education and security (police force training) sectors and this will not change. However, Turkey will consider increasing its activity in these sectors, particularly in capacity building and training. He said that in addition to aid for primary and secondary school construction, Turkey is also considering building a university in Afghanistan, but this is still in the discussion phase. The GOT school in Afghanistan, a girls school staffed by Turkish teachers provided by the Ministry of Education, is running successfully and may be used as a model for potential future GOT staffed schools or teacher training centers. Karagol also noted that Turkish aid has been distributed approximately 51% to Kabul, 27% to PRT Wardak, and 22% to the Northern Region. However, after receiving numerous complaints from the Turkic populations in the North about the "unfair" distribution, the MFA is now planning to shift the percentages of their aid to place a greater emphasis on the North, although Kabul and Wardak will continue to receive significant amounts of assistance from Turkey. ¶6. (C) Karagol also expressed to us some of the difficulties Turkey faces in administering assistance to Afghanistan. Karagol said that the lack of communication and coordination between aid giving countries and organizations in Afghanistan ANKARA 00001053 002 OF 002 hinders Turkey's ability and motivation to increase its assistance. Specifically, the lack of communication between PRTs has caused issues for Turkey in PRT Wardak. Karagol cited a recent example of a local leader in Wardak who complained that the Czech-run PRT in Logar built a dam for the residents there, and asked why couldn't they get a dam in Wardak? However when the Turkish officials subsequently ran into the Czechs at a conference in Kabul, they learned that in fact the Czechs had only repaired a previously existing dam. Karagol said that Turkey wants to provide as much civilian aid as possible, but that this lack of communication detracts from what could be a more cohesive and coordinated international effort, and also allows rumors of what is being done in other PRTs to impede their work in their own PRTs. 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