Cablegate: Turkey's Continues to Wait for Improved Security

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

100603Z Mar 05

UNCLAS ANKARA 001263

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S CONTINUES TO WAIT FOR IMPROVED SECURITY
BEFORE DISBURSING ITS $50 MILLION PLEDGE FOR IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION

REF: A. STATE 36580

B. 2004 ANKARA 5351

1. On MArch 7, Turkey's new Coordinator for Iraq
Reconstruction, Ambassador Toray Targay, told Econ Counselor
that Turkey is ready to begin disbursing its $50 million
pledge for Iraqi reconstruction, but they continue to wait
for the security situation to improve. We emphasized that
the U.S. has accelerated its reconstruction disbursements and
urged Turkey to begin disbursing its aid as soon as possible
to signal international support for the Iraqi people. Targay
hoped that Turkey would be able to proceed soon, once the new
Iraqi Assembly is in place and a new Iraqi government is
chosen and working.

2. Targay said that Turkey has projects that can be
implemented very quickly, such as hospital construction
projects in Baghdad and Basra. Turkey's Cooperation and
Development Agency (TIKA) will implement Turkey's projects in
Iraq. Targay said that Turkey has spent only a small amount
of the $50 million pledge for police and election worker
training. Humanitarian assistance, such as was provided last
year for the Turkmen city of Tal Afar, did not come out of
the $50 million. Targay expected that Turkey's $50 million
could go quite far -- the salaries and housing costs of
Turkish government employees are not included, and Targay
expected that most of the Turkish companies working on
reconstruction projects would be willing to make significant
in-kind contributions to projects. He noted that many of the
Turkish companies in Afghanistan have been pleased to make
such contributions.

3. Baghdad minimize considered. EDELMAN

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