TURKEY TO OPEN EMBASSY IN MAURITANIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L NOUAKCHOTT 000639 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV MR TU SUBJECT: TURKEY TO OPEN EMBASSY IN MAURITANIA REF: A. ANKARA 2018 ¶B. ANKARA 2033 ¶C. SECSTATE 121384 Classified By: CDA Dennis Hankins for reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (U) According to press reports published on October 1, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Davat Ogloo announced his country's intention to open an embassy in Nouakchott to strengthen Turkish-Mauritanian cooperation. This declaration followed Ogloo's meeting with Mauritanian Foreign Affairs Minister Naha Mint Mouknass on September 29 during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. ¶2. (C) In 2008, Turkey announced plans to open 15 embassies in African countries, including in Mauritania (See ref A). The opening of a Turkish embassy in Nouakchott in 2009 was put on hold due to the August 6, 2008 coup d'etat, which Turkey strongly condemned (See refs B and C). ¶3. (U) Comment: Foreign Minister Ogloo's announcement points to Turkey's intention to move move forward with its plans now that the Mauritanian political crisis has been resolved. No concrete timeframe for the opening of a Turkish embassy has been provided. Other countries including Japan and, reportedly, Brazil are moving forward with opening embassies in Nouakchott. The UK will permanently assign a political officer from the embassy in Rabat to Mauritania. End comment. HANKINS