C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001636

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU OSCE PKK
SUBJECT: OCALAN'S LAWYERS, BROTHER VISIT FOR FIRST TIME IN
15 WEEKS


REF: A. ANKARA 1624

B. ANKARA 1303

C. ANKARA 972

D. ADANA 44


Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 b and d.



1. (U) Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was visited March 12
for the first time since November 27 by his brother Mehmet
and three attorneys. Jandarma officials had previously
blocked visits to Ocalan's Imrali Island prison, supposedly
due to stormy weather (Reftels B-D).



2. (C) Comment: This visit will do little, by itself, to
relieve mounting tensions among Turkish Kurds, who fear they
will suffer a GOT crackdown if/when the fighting starts in
Iraq. By isolating Ocalan for such an extended period with
such a flimsy excuse, the GOT has sent a clear message to the
Kurds, as it did March 13 when it took legal actions against
two pro-Kurdish parties (Reftel A).


PEARSON