Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ANKARA8975
2002-12-13 14:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

NORTHERN IRAQ: TURKS TELL PUK ASSISTANCE AGAINST

Tags:  PREL MARR TU IZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 008975 

SIPDIS


STATE FOR NEA CROCKER, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE;
LONDON FOR KHALILZAD, PEARCE AND EGOLDRICH;
DAMASCUS FOR WALKER


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2012
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: TURKS TELL PUK ASSISTANCE AGAINST
ANSAR AL-ISLAM DEPENDS ON OUTCOME OF LONDON OPPOSITION
CONFERENCE, PLUS ITF INTRIGUES


(U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires a.i. Robert Deutsch.
Reasons: 1.5 (B and D).


--------------------------------------------- --
Turks Link Help vs. Ansar to Conference Outcome
--------------------------------------------- --


C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 008975

SIPDIS


STATE FOR NEA CROCKER, NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE;
LONDON FOR KHALILZAD, PEARCE AND EGOLDRICH;
DAMASCUS FOR WALKER


E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2012
TAGS: PREL MARR TU IZ
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: TURKS TELL PUK ASSISTANCE AGAINST
ANSAR AL-ISLAM DEPENDS ON OUTCOME OF LONDON OPPOSITION
CONFERENCE, PLUS ITF INTRIGUES


(U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires a.i. Robert Deutsch.
Reasons: 1.5 (B and D).


-------------- --
Turks Link Help vs. Ansar to Conference Outcome
-------------- --



1. (C) Operation Northern Watch POLAD met with Patriotic
Union of Kurdistan Ankara rep Bahros Galali December 13.
Galali said he had met earlier in the week with Turkish
military officials (NFI) who told him that if, in Turkey's
view, the London opposition conference had a positive result,
Turkey would do all it could to help the PUK, including in
the fight against Ansar al-Islam. However, if Turkey was
unhappy with the outcome, Turkey would be unable to provide
the PUK with assistance. The TGS officers told Galali that
the PUK should block the participation at the conference of
KDP-friendly Turkmen. The PUK declined to do so.


--------------
Rumors of Turkish Troops, Ammo to Border
--------------



2. (C) Galali told us he had information that the Turks were
moving troops, ammunition and food stocks to the Iraqi
border. He had heard rumors from a number of sources that
Turkey was training three thousand soldiers to serve in an
"international police force" in Iraq, that the group included
Iraqi Turkmen, and that the plan was for these soldiers to
remain in northern Iraq indefinitely. He said he feared
Turkey would "attack our area and take control of our region
until there is a new government in a stable Baghdad."


--------------
ITF Office Run By Turkish Turks-Visa Scams
--------------



3. (C) Galali told us he had been informed by a friend in the
TGS that the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) office in Zakho was
staffed by Turks, not by Iraqi Turkmen, and that he had been
advised that the Zakho ITF office would help him get PUK
people into Turkey for a USD 600/person fee. Galali added
that this week, in his effort to get PUK delegates to London,
he had one politburo member who went to the Zahko ITF office
with his Iraqi passport, and was first told the passport was
invalid. He got a new passport in Dohuk and was turned away
by the ITF office in Zakho again. The third time he put USD
600 in his passport and received a Turkish visa.


-------------- --
ITF Insisting on 20 Seats, Endorsement of Views
-------------- --



4. Finally, Galali said he ran into ITF Chairman Sanan Aga at
the Ankara airport earlier in the day. Aga told Galali that
the ITF was bringing 20 delegates to the London opposition
conference, although the organizers had only offerd the ITF 8
spots. Aga said if the conference did not let all the ITF
delegates in, the ITF would walk out of the conference. Aga
also told Galali that if the ITF did not get its positions
approved, it would not accept the results of the conference.
DEUTSCH