VZCZCXRO3856
PP RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHAK #0668 0821414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231414Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0916
RUEHKUK/REO KIRKUK PRIORITY 0009
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0890
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0213
RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 0342
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 2388
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1441

UNCLAS ANKARA 000668 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PRT KIRKUK FOR JBIGUS 
BAGHDAD POL FOR CBLAHA AND CONS FOR JEVANS 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS PREL ECON TU IZ JO AE
SUBJECT: VISA ASSISTANCE FOR IRAQIS ATTENDING GERMAN MARSHALL FUND 
"FUTURE OF IRAQ" CONFERENCE 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Turkey's Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodities 
Exchange (TOBB), the leading Turkish business association, and the 
German Marshall Fund will co-host a conference on "Iraq Futures" in 
Washington, DC April 10 - 11.  TOBB has asked for assistance in 
facilitating travel of some Iraqi citizens to Washington to 
participate in this conference.  Several of these live in the city 
of Kirkuk and others in Baghdad.  TOBB will pay for all costs 
associated with their travel and stay in the United States.  State 
Department Iraq Coordinator Amb. David Satterfield is expected to 
address the conference, as well as his Turkish counterpart, Oguz 
Celikkol, and other U.S. officials and think tank experts. 
 
¶2. (SBU) As we seek to encourage Turkey to make a positive 
contribution to Iraqi stability and reconstruction, these types of 
collaborative efforts - including representatives from the different 
communities in Iraq - could be particularly helpful in building 
relationships and mutual confidence.  This is an excellent 
opportunity to encourage direct interaction and open discussion 
about contentious subjects such as the future of Kirkuk. 
 
¶3. (SBU) TOBB has asked us to assist with the issuance of visas to 
the United States.  At least one of the twelve will apply in Dubai 
and one in Ankara, and the other ten will likely apply in Amman, 
Ankara or Istanbul.  We understand that they all have "G-series" 
passports.  We appreciate any and all appropriate assistance that 
posts can provide.  Following is the current list of travelers, some 
or all of whom may need to apply for visas to the United States. 
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information. 
 
-- Husain Awni, writer, Baghdad 
-- Hussein M. A. Haydar, political writer, Baghdad, 
    wishes to apply in Amman 
-- Ali Salihi, Kirkuk Provincial Assembly Member, 
    Kirkuk 
-- Wail Abdullatif, Former Minister, Iraq 
-- Sargon Lazar, Kirkuk Provincial Assembly Member, 
    Kirkuk, wishes to apply in Amman 
-- Muhammed Khalil, Kirkuk Provincial Assembly Member, 
    Kirkuk, wishes to apply in Ankara 
-- Awad Muhammed Emin, Kirkuk Provincial Assembly 
    Member, Kirkuk, wishes to apply in Amman 
-- Ali Mehdi, Kirkuk Provincial Assembly Member, Kirkuk 
-- Ali M. Sadeq, Kirkuk Provincial Assembly Member, 
    Kirkuk, wishes to apply in Ankara 
-- Ismet Abdulmejit Bakir, Iraq Court of Appeals 
    Member, Baghdad, wishes to apply in Amman 
-- Ahmed al-Barrak, Lawyer, Iraq 
-- Rakan Said, Provincial Assembly Member, Iraq 
-- Rashad M. Omar, Former Minister, has applied in 
    Dubai and will interview on April 3 
-- Mustafa-a-Hussain, TOBB University visiting scholar, 
    Ankara, will apply in Ankara 
 
¶4. (SBU) Point of Contact is Economic Officer Rebecca Kimbrell, 
kimbrellrj@state.gov, office phone IVG 295-2255 or (90)(312) 
455-5555 x. 2255, and cell phone (90)(532) 218-4350. 
 
MCELDOWNEY