VZCZCXRO6390
OO RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #1741 1900902
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090902Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2882
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0982
RUEHKUK/REO KIRKUK PRIORITY 0016
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// PRIORITY
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
UNCLAS ANKARA 001741
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL MARR PHUM IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ: TURKEY MEDEVACS INJURED FROM TUZ
KORMATO BOMBING, WILLING TO DO MORE
REF: SIEBENTRITT-BAGHDAD EMAILS -- JULY 7-8
1. (SBU) Action request at para 4.
2. (SBU) The Foreign Ministry's Iraq office expressed to us
their appreciation for USG assistance in facilitating the
dispatch of two Turkish military medevac aircraft to Kirkuk
on July 8 to pick up 21 Iraqis severely injured in the July 7
bombing in Tuz Kormato. Turkish officials acknowledged that
their desire to help in this way was motivated by the
destructiveness of the attack as well as the fact that many
Turkmen, whom Turkey regards as ethnic cousins, were victims
of the blast.
3. (SBU) MFA Iraq desk officer Yagmur Guldere told us late
July 8 that the GOT is prepared to send the two medevac
aircraft back to Kirkuk, if requested, to evacuate more
wounded for treatment at military and civilian hospitals in
Ankara. He said the two aircraft could accommodate as many
as 28 wounded and their escorts. Turkey would be willing to
send medical supplies and equipment to northern Iraq using
the same aircraft, and could even dispatch doctors to work at
hospitals in northern Iraq for a short period of time.
4. (SBU) Action Request: Please advise if further Turkish
assistance in the areas of medevac, medical supplies, and
medical staff to deal with the aftermath of the Tuz Kormato
bombing would be desirable. If so, post is willing to assist
with coordination.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON