VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0118/01 0251552
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251552Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0178
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1830
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 6823
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
PROG

UNCLAS ANKARA 000118 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PPD, SRAP, SCA/A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS NATO AF TU
SUBJECT: PROPOSAL TO SEND TURKISH JOURNALISTS TO AFGHANISTAN 
 
¶1. (U)  This is an action request.  Please see para. 9. 
 
Turkey: A Key Contributor in Afghanistan... 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Turkey is an important contributor to NATO's 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan 
and is a key partner in the USG's broader efforts in 
Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Turkey has over 1700 troops 
deployed to Afghanistan, is currently leading 
Regional-Command Capital (RC-Capital), has fielded a civilian 
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Wardak since 2006, is 
planning to stand up a second PRT in Jawzjan Province, 
recently announced an ambitious program to train a brigade's 
worth of Afghan national security forces (ANSF) personnel in 
Turkey, has pledged 200 million dollars for reconstruction in 
Afghanistan, and will host a trilateral summit among Turkey, 
Afghanistan and Pakistan on January 25 and a Afghanistan 
Regional Summit on January 26. 
 
...But Public Support Remains Weak 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The extent of Turkey's involvement in Afghanistan, 
unfortunately, is little known and poorly understood by the 
public in Turkey.  More Turks are opposed to NATO's mission 
in Afghanistan than are supportive, and most do not support 
Turkish contributions to ISAF and would prefer that Turkey 
withdraws its troops from Afghanistan.  If current trends 
persist, weak public support for ISAF could eventually 
translate to an erosion of political support for increasing 
or even maintaining Turkey's contributions to NATO's 
essential mission, especially in advance of national 
elections scheduled for mid-2011.  While Post regularly 
nominates a Turkish participant to the periodic multi-country 
USNATO Afghanistan Tour for journalists, these tours do not 
have a Turkey focus and have not resulted in a significant 
amount of media coverage for Turkey's contributions towards 
Afghanistan. 
 
The Proposal 
------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Post believes that Turkey's command of RC-Capital 
and its plans to establish a second PRT in Jawzjan provides 
an optimal window to send a group of 10 Turkish journalists 
to Afghanistan for a week.  Through this program, we hope to: 
a. underscore our shared interests in Afghanistan and joint 
efforts with Turkey there, including on reconstruction and 
development; 
b. better explain NATO's ISAF mission and what NATO is doing 
to protect civilian populations; 
c. articulate U.S. goals following President Obama's December 
2 speech, including our efforts to defeat al Qaeda; 
d. highlight the nature of the security challenge (the type 
of operations conducted by opposing military forces against 
both civilian and military targets); and 
e. note the effects of operational caveats on the ability of 
commanders to utilize NATO forces in Afghanistan. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Our goal is to generate more positive Turkish press 
coverage for NATO's ISAF operations in general and Turkey's 
contributions in ISAF in particular.  Highlighting Turkey as 
a key player in NATO's most critical operation will also 
likely generate a better appreciation for NATO itself and 
greater public support for Turkey's active participation in 
NATO.  We envision sending a group of ten journalists and 
opinion makers to Afghanistan in 2010.  Their visit to 
Afghanistan should include two days in Kabul, where the group 
will receive briefings from officials at U.S. Embassy Kabul, 
NATO ISAF Headquarters, the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, and the 
Turkish commander of RC-Capital.  The group would then travel 
to Wardak where it will have an opportunity to observe the 
Turkish PRT in Wardak in action and visit projects 
established by the PRT. 
 
GoT Buy-In and Post Support 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Post has floated the proposal to both the Turkish 
MFA and the Turkish General Staff.  The TGS has expressed 
general support for the concept while the MFA offered to 
support the program.  During a conversation with PolMilCouns 
on January 8 in Ankara, Turkish Ambassador to Kabul Basat 
Ozturk pledged his support for the program and offered to 
arrange a briefing for the group with the Turkish commander 
of RC-Capital and to arrange a visit to the Turkish PRT in 
Wardak.  Ozturk said that this program would be in line with 
his own efforts to generate greater understanding and 
appreciation in Turkey of Turkey's contributions in 
Afghanistan.  Post PAS has allocated 25,000 USD in support of 
this program, and post is prepared to send a pol-mil officer 
to escort the group. 
 
Missing Pieces 
-------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Two essential pieces are needed for this program to 
be realized.  First, we will need to transport the group to 
and from Afghanistan.  While commercial options are 
available, they are costly (over 5,000 USD per person), would 
exceed Post's available funding for the program, and are 
inconvenient.  Another option is to take advantage of the 
existing agreement for Turkey to send cargo on a weekly basis 
from Incirlik Air Base to Bagram Air Base.  We understand, 
however, that an exception to policy will be needed in order 
to use available space on these flights to transport 
passengers.  We would welcome Department guidance on whether 
such an exception can be secured and, if not, whether there 
are other cost-effective options to get the group of 
journalists to and from Afghanistan. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The other key piece is logistic, program, and 
security support for the group while they are in Afghanistan 
(including stops in Kabul and Wardak).  We would greatly 
welcome and appreciate support similar to that provided to 
participants of USNATO's Afghanistan tour for journalists. 
 
Action Request 
-------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Post requests Department's approval of the program 
proposed above.  If the program is approved, we request 
Department's assistance in facilitating transportation 
arrangements to and from Afghanistan and Embassy Kabul's 
assistance in arranging logistic and security support for the 
program while the group is in Afghanistan.  Post stands ready 
to answer any additional questions about the proposed 
program.  Post POCs for the program are Embassy Spokesperson 
Deborah Guido (e-mail: guidodl@state.gov; phone: 
 90-312-457-7312)  and Pol-Mil Officer Robert Lee (e-mail: 
leerd@state.gov; phone:  90-312-457-7177). 
 
 
Jeffrey 
 
           "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s 
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"