Cablegate: Demarche to Turkey On Food Crisis in Horn of Africa

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ANKARA 008620

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TO USAID/DCHA/FFP/NHCARLSON AND SBRADLY;
USAID/ADDIS BDUNFORD; USAID/DCHA/OFDA/DWARNER AND
JLADENSON; USAID/AFR/EA/LBESHAWRED
STATE ALSO FOR AF/E/BPHIPPS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREL ER ET TU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO TURKEY ON FOOD CRISIS IN HORN OF AFRICA

REF: STATE 233833

1. EconCouns delivered reftel demarche to MFA Deputy
Director General for International Relations Osman Paksut on
November 26. Paksut said Turkey's Embassy in Addis Ababa had
kept the Ministry informed of the developing food crisis, but
the MFA had not yet made any decisions about whether it could
respond.

2. While noting that Turkey's ongoing financial crisis made
it difficult for the government to provide assistance, Paksut
said he would consult within the MFA and with the Turkish Red
Crescent to see what might be possible. One option would be
for the Red Crescent to provide a small amount of cash. If,
as suggested in reftel, the international donor community is
able to come up with funds to cover transportation, Turkey
might be able to provide surplus grain. Paksut promised to
update Embassy following his internal consultations.
Meanwhile, Embassy will raise the issue in its next meeting
with the Red Crescent.
PEARSON

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