ACTION REQUEST: AIRLIFT FOR SECURITY ATTACHE TO TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD

CONFIDENTIAL C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007075 SIPDIS BAGHDAD PLEASE PASS TO MNF-I HQ AND TASK FORCE OLYMPIA COMMANDER BG HAM E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2014 TAGS: MOPS, MASS, PREL, TU, IZ SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: AIRLIFT FOR SECURITY ATTACHE TO TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD Classified By: CDA Robert S. Deutsch for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (U) This is an action request for State, DoD, CENTCOM, Embassy Baghdad, and MNF-I. Please see para. three. 2. (U) On Dec. 17, AIF in Mosul attacked a convoy of four vehicles carrying Turkish police officers assigned TDY to provide security at the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad. Five Turkish officers and one of their Iraqi drivers were KIA (another Iraqi driver is missing). The Turkish security attache to their embassy, Saadettin Kece, was WIA. TFO transported him to the 332nd EMDG, Air Force Theater Hospital, Balad; he is patient number 778. We understand from email traffic that his condition has improved and that he is ready to be released. On. Dec. 20, the GOT requested via diplomatic note (text at para. four) that the U.S. repatriate Kece by air. 3. (C) Comment and action request: This tragic incident has shocked both official Turkey and the Turkish public, much more so than the death of approximately 60 Turkish truck drivers in Iraq since the flareup of the insurgency. President Sezer, PM Erdogan, and CHOD Ozkok all attended the Dec. 20 memorial service for the five murdered police officers; Charge attended on the Embassy's behalf. Turkish officials have expressed their gratitude to MNF-I for assisting in collecting the remains of the Turkish officers and for transporting them from Mosul to the Turkish border. Embassy believes it would be an important goodwill gesture--especially in advance of expected visits to Ankara by Deputy Secretary Armitage as well as CDR CENTCOM General Abizaid next month--to airlift this official to Turkey or (if easier) close to the Turkish border at the Habur Gate. 4. (U) Action request, cont.: We understand from our Dec. 21 discussions with the Turkish MFA that we may be able to meet their request for assistance in an easier fashion. The Turkish embassy in Baghdad still needs a security detail, and the Turks are tentatively planning to send a new team by air to Baghdad as early as Dec. 22. Should this occur, they may refine their request to airlifting the official from Balad to BIA, where the Turks could pick him up for the return flight home. End comment and action request. 5. (U) On Dec. 20, we received the following diplomatic note from the Turkish MFA: BEGIN TEXT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and has the honor to inform the latter of the following; As confirmed by Embassy, Mr. Saadettin Kece, the Security Attache of the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad who has been wounded during the terrorist attack in Mosul on 17 December 2004, and transferred to the Multi National Force's medical facility near Balad for emergency treatment, is now stable, and ready for transfer to Turkey. In view of the foregoing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be much obliged if the esteemed Embassy could kindly intercede with the Multi National Force Headquarters in Iraq to obtain the necessary permission for the transfer of Mr. Kece to Turkey, by air, through the assets available to the US Forces in the region, and inform the Ministry of the outcome. The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States the assurances of its highest considerations. Ankara, 20 December 2004 END TEXT. 6. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. DEUTSCH