Cablegate: Iraq: Got Offers Condolences for Erbil and Other

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

UNCLAS ANKARA 002578

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PTER IZ TU
SUBJECT: IRAQ: GOT OFFERS CONDOLENCES FOR ERBIL AND OTHER
ATTACKS, GUL CALLS BARZANI

Sensitive but unclassified--please protect accordingly. Not
for Internet distribution.

1. (SBU) The Turkish MFA released a statement following the
May 4 Erbil bombing, condemning this and other recent
terrorist attacks in Iraq (text in para. 2). MFA Head of
Department for Iraq Avni Botsali told PolMilOff the evening
of May 4 that FonMin Gul had also called KDP leader Masoud
Barzani to offer condolences. COMMENT: Relations between
Barzani and the Turks have been strained of late, so this
phone call is good news. The Turkish statement is also
positive, offering advanced medical care as Ankara did after
the twin bombings of KDP and PUK gatherings last year. END
COMMENT.

2. (U) Text of informal embassy translation of MFA statement
follows:

BEGIN TEXT

Turkish Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Information Department
No 71
May 4, 2005

Announcement

We have learned with sorrow that more than 200 civilians have
been killed and many injured in terrorist attacks against the
police station close to the KDP-I Headquarters building in
Erbil today as well as attacks in Mosul and Baghdad and
elsewhere in Iraq during the past week.

We condemn these attacks, which aim at impeding the
establishment of stability in Iraq.

We urge all political parties, groups, and leaders in Iraq to
ignore these provocations and to act with common sense,
responsibility, and decency. We also urge all parties to
participate in the political process and work above all to
foster a spirit of unity, cooperation, dialogue and
reconciliation during the sensitive period through which our
neighbor Iraq is passing.

We offer our condolences to the brother Iraqi nation, the
Iraqi Transitional Government and KDP leadership, and the
relatives of those who lost their lives in the terrorist
attacks and we wish a speedy recovery to those who were
injured.

Our government has already informed the relevant authorities
in Iraq that we are ready to facilitate transfer and medical
treatment for casualties for whom treatment is not available
in Iraq.

END TEXT

3. (U) Iraq posts minimize considered.
EDELMAN

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