Cablegate: Iraqi Governing Council: Turks Unhappy With

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

UNCLAS ANKARA 004464

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO IZ TU
SUBJECT: IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL: TURKS UNHAPPY WITH
TURKMEN REPRESENTATION

REF: STATE 202537

(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, reasons 1.5, b/d.

1. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.

2. (S) After several unsuccessful attempts to schedule a
joint US/UK meeting to deliver reftel points to MFA's Iraq
department at the working level, UK Ambassador Westmacott
reportedly raised the points with MFA U/S Ziyal and DG
Burcuoglu July 15 during a previously scheduled meeting. The
UK Ambassador described the discussion as "extremely
unrewarding" in that he received a long tirade from Ziyal and
Burcuoglu about the Turkmen situation in Iraq in general.
Westmacott tried to emphasize the positive aspects of the
GC's composition, including the fact that the Turkmen
representative was an Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) member and
the sole representative from Kirkuk. When the Turks noted
peevishly that she was not on the leadership council of the
ITF, Westmacott reportedly retorted that, were there any
"constructive" candidates on ITF's leadership council, they
might have been considered. After some prodding, the Turks
said they might consider issuing a statement supportive of
the GC, but would possibly include that they had concerns
about the composition of the council. DCM also raised the
issue of the Council with Burcuoglu at a luncheon July 15.
Burcuoglu similarly objected to the number of Turkmen as well
as the absence of clear ITF leadership. He said the MFA was
meeting later that day to decide how to react to the Council.

3. (S) Comment: The UK Embassy assessed that the Turks are
still smarting far too much from the July 4 incident to have
a productive dialogue on this topic now. The points have
been raised, and we agree it would be best to let this topic
rest until some of the emotion fades.
PEARSON

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