Cablegate: Turkey - Follow-Up Appeal for Support for Pakistan

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

UNCLAS ANKARA 006818

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM SENV TU PAK
SUBJECT: TURKEY - FOLLOW-UP APPEAL FOR SUPPORT FOR PAKISTAN
EARTHQUAKE RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION

REF: A. STATE 208903

B. ANKARA 6557 AND PREVIOUS

1. (SBU) With respect to other countries cited for generous
thanks in ref A, Post notes that Turkey remains first in the
line of donors with a plege of $150 million.

2. (SBU) On November 17, MFA Officer Sebnem Incesu
reiterated Turkey's commitment to assisting Pakistan for both
humanitarian and reconstruction needs from the earthquake.
She said that Turkey's delegation led by the Deputy Prime
Minister had already departed for the November 19 Pakistan
Reconstruction Conference. She said that the GOT had held
discussions with Pakistan officials, but the Prime Ministry
had still not released further details for a break-down of
the $150 million pledge. The MFA official said that $68
million of bilateral assistance had been funded (the same
figure as in Ref B) and that 24 plane-loads of materials had
been transported. She said that public fund-raising had
totalled $87 million, but was not able to clarify if that
constituted part of the $150 million pledge. Incesu said
that the $3 million response from Turkey for the UN flash
appeal was being transfered this week (Ref B).

3. (SBU) Post notes that Turkey's response to Pakistan's
crisis has struck a deep chord with the Turkish people,
eliciting a generous pledge. It is surprising that more
details have not been fleshed out at this time, particularly
with respect to reconstruction needs.

MCELDOWNEY

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