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Viewing cable 06ANKARA4761, TURKEY: AFGHANISTAN PRT TO OPEN IN NOVEMBER; ISAF

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ANKARA4761 2006-08-16 10:38 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ankara
null
Dianne Wampler  08/17/2006 08:57:44 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Dianne Wampler

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS    SENSITIVE     ANKARA 04761

SIPDIS
CX:
    ACTION: PMA
    INFO:   CONS FCS AMB POL DCM DAO RAO ECON TSR PA

DISSEMINATION: PMA /1
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PMA:CSIEBENTRITT
DRAFTED: PMA:PTSAI
CLEARED: PMA: MNARDI, ECON: TGOLDBERGER, DAO: DBARTLETT, POL: JWEINER

VZCZCAYI045
PP RUEHC RUEHZG RUEHBUL RUEHFR RUEHRO RUEHIT
RHMFIUU RHEHAAA RHMFIUU RUEUITH RUEHAK RUEKJCS RUEKJCS RUFOADA
RUEKDAI RHMFIUU RUEHNO RHMFISS RHMFISS
DE RUEHAK #4761/01 2281038
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161038Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7993
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0521
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 5294
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 6577
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1103
RHMFIUU/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
RUEKDAI/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/USNMR SHAPE BE PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USDELMC BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004761 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AF AORC EAID MOPS PREL TU XD NATO
SUBJECT: TURKEY: AFGHANISTAN PRT TO OPEN IN NOVEMBER; ISAF 
SHARED COMMAND UNDERWAY 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 4061 
     B. ANKARA 3617 
     C. 05 ANKARA 6323 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: On August 8, MFA Head of Department for 
South Asia Murat Ulku provided an upbeat account of 
preparations to establish Turkey's first Afghanistan 
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), slated to open by 
November. Ulku said construction had begun, staffing is 
underway, and initial projects have been selected for this 
five year effort.  Turkey hopes to use the PRT to 
re-establish historical and cultural ties and to leave behind 
a solid infrastructure for the Afghan people. Ulku confirmed 
the August 6 start-up of Turkey's shared ISAF Kabul Regional 
Command with France and Italy and praised the collaborative 
effort.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------- 
PRT OPERATIONAL OUTLOOK 
----------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Ulku stated that Wardak PRT should begin operations 
by the beginning of November 2006.  Per Ulku, the 5 million 
USD PRT compound will be comprised of permanent structures 
that can be turned over to the Afghans.  The decision to 
construct durable facilities resulted in some delays, but on 
August 7, in a ceremony led by Turkey's Defense Minister 
Gonul, the foundation was begun.  PRT staff will total 
approximately 80 individuals, 60-70% of whom will be 
military, led by a Lieutenant Colonel.  An MFA official will 
lead a core civilian staff and rotating civilian experts from 
the Ministry of Interior, TIKA (the Turkish AID-equivalent), 
the Turkish National Police, and other agencies.  Ulku looks 
forward to NATO expansion to the south and east of Kabul. 
Given Turkey's experience with ISAF, it is familiar with ISAF 
rules of engagement and operating procedures. 
 
3. (SBU) The GOT plans to operate the Wardak PRT for five 
years, through the year 2011.  After 2011, GOT hopes to turn 
over PRT facilities and functions to local authorities.  The 
GOT concept is for an open compound where Afghans are 
welcome.  The local community will be allowed to use PRT 
facilities for religious and cultural functions where 
appropriate. 
 
----------- 
PRT FUNDING 
----------- 
 
4. (SBU) Ulku explained that the PRT construction costs were 
allocated from a new peacekeeping fund, separate from the 100 
million USD Turkey pledged for Afghanistan reconstruction 
(ref b), of which 20 million USD has been spent on school and 
hospital projects.  The Afghanistan reconstruction fund, to 
be used for projects throughout Afghanistan as well as Wardak 
PRT, will be budgeted at approximately 16 million USD 
annually, over a period of five years.  The GOT is also 
seeking additional ways to raise contributions for 
Afghanistan, such as establishing sister-city links between 
Turkey and Afghanistan, so that Turkish mayors might organize 
assistance at the city level. 
 
-------------------------------- 
PRT NEAR- AND LONG-TERM PROJECTS 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Turkey hopes to realize near-term, quick-impact 
projects before the PRT is activated.  Ambassador Koray 
Targay, the Turkish Coordinator for Reconstruction in 
Afghanistan and Iraq, and TIKA representatives visited Wardak 
in July to assess the feasibility of such projects (ref a). 
Near-term projects may include the construction of a 
refrigerated warehouse to store agricultural products, so 
that farmers can avoid having to sell their goods immediately 
to Pakistan, only to buy them back later at a higher price. 
In addition to construction projects, long-term efforts will 
include police and counter-narcotics training.  The GOT has 
kicked off this project by bringing high-level police 
officers from Wardak to Turkey for Turkish language and 
train-the-trainer courses.  Wardak officials have asked 
Turkey to provide education on mainstream Islam in hopes of 
countering extremist movements.  The GOT is considering this. 
 
------------------------------------ 
ISAF KABUL REGIONAL COMMAND UNDERWAY 
------------------------------------ 
 
6. (SBU) Ulku confirmed that Turkey, France, and Italy 
initiated a combined, two-year command of the ISAF Kabul 
Regional Command on August 6.  Each country will rotate 
command over three consecutive, eight-month periods: France 
(Aug. 2006 - Apr. 2007), Turkey (Apr. 2007 - Dec. 2007), and 
Italy (Dec. 2007 - Aug. 2008).  During France's command, 
Turkey will act as Deputy Commander, and Italy will act as 
Deputy Chief of Staff (CoS), with France acting as CoS.  When 
Turkey assumes command in Apr. 2007, Italy will act as Deputy 
Commander, and France will act as Deputy CoS, with Turkey 
acting as CoS.  Plans are to turn over the command to another 
country in Aug. 2008, although the GOT has not ruled out 
participation in an extended mission.  Ulku was upbeat about 
the cooperative effort with two EU-member states, which had 
gone smoothly even with the late addition of Italy. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON