IRAQI OPPOSITION TALKS IN ANAKARA: TURKS ON BOARD

S E C R E T ANKARA 001595 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2013 TAGS: PREL MOPS TU IZ SUBJECT: IRAQI OPPOSITION TALKS IN ANAKARA: TURKS ON BOARD FOR THREE SETS OF TALKS REF: A. STATE 66506 ¶B. ANKARA 1512 ¶C. ANKARA 1487 (U) Classified by DCM Robert S. Deutsch. Reasons 1.5(b) and (d). ¶1. This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. ¶2. (S) On March 13, DCM met MFA Director General for the Middle East Burcuoglu and delivered Ref A points. Burcuoglu agreed to the following schedule: -- US-TU bilaterals, with Turkey represented by Deputy U/S Tuygan, at 17:00 on March 14, followed by a March 15 session from 10:00 to 13:00. A TGS representative, as well as other Turkish representatives, are TBD. DCM committed to informing the Turks as soon as possible regarding the identity of representatives from OVP and CENTCOM. -- US-TU-KDP-PUK-ITF talks on March 18. The GOT proposes that it inform the KDP, PUK, and ITF to prepare to meet in Ankara on that day. However, the Turks intend to await the outcome of the bilats before issuing formal invitations to the other three parties. -- Talks with the wider Iraqi opposition late on March 18 or, more probably, on March 19. As with the earlier March 18 five-party meeting, the GOT intends to inform the wider opposition of the possibility of a meeting, but will refrain from issuing formal invitations until the bilats are underway, at the earliest. ¶3. (S) Burcuoglu questioned whether the KDP, PUK, and ITF would be prepared to meet with the wider opposition, and suggested that we discuss this issue further at the bilats. The GOT is not willing to present the meeting with the wider Iraqi opposition as a meeting with the "Leadership Committee" unless an ITF representative has become a committee member. Burcuoglu said that if the ITF were represented on the Leadership Committee by March 18, it would "facilitate everything.8 ¶4. (S) DCM forcefully reminded Burcuoglu that, in the absence of Turkish parliamentary permission for a US troop deployment in Turkey, we cannot present positions to the Kurds based on the military MOU or the economic and political joint statements. Moreover, DCM reminded Burcuoglu of the USG,s firm opposition to a unilateral Turkish deployment in northern Iraq. He stressed that in the meetings we would be focused on ending provocations and avoiding conflict. Burcuoglu responded that the GOT would tell the Kurds that if Turkish troops were to enter Iraq, it would only be on the basis of coordination with the USG. He acknowledged that the GOT fully understands the USG position on Turkish troops in northern Iraq. ¶5. (S) Action Requested: Please advise on the remaining composition of the delegation, including an authoritative CENTCOM participant. We will also need resolution of the ITF membership in the Leadership Committee issue now. PEARSON