REFUTING THE TURKISH ALLEGATION OF SPE KHALILZAD

S E C R E T ANKARA 002384 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, PMAT; OSD FOR ISA AND ISP; JCS FOR J5; EUCOM FOR J5, POLAD; CENTCOM FOR J5 AND POLAD; E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2013 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS TU IZ PKK SUBJECT: REFUTING THE TURKISH ALLEGATION OF SPE KHALILZAD MEETING WITH THE PKK/KADEK REF: A) STATE 93831 B) ANKARA 2330 C) ANKARA 2362 (u) Classified by Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5 (B and D). ¶1. (S) DCM called on MFA Director General for Bilateral Affairs Burcuoglu to refute strongly the Turkish allegations of a March 29 meeting between SPE Khalilzad and PKK/Kadek (ref a). DCM also presented Burcuoglu with a diplomatic note containing language drawn from ref a. DCM stressed that the information contained in TGS's letter was baseless and that the USG should not have to respond to such spurious allegations. Burcuoglu replied he was unaware that TGS had sent such a letter and, having not seen its contents, could not comment at the present time. He asked the DCM provide him a copy of TGS's letter (which we later did),and said he would respond to the Embassy's diplomatic note with a formal response. ¶2. (S) Speaking in general terms, Burcuoglu said it was important for the GOT to relay reports of incidents of concern in northern Iraq, and asked the USG to continue to respond to such requests in order to keep the channels of communication open. The DCM said it was one thing for the USG and the GOT to cooperate in order to verify the accuracy of reports of possible early-warning events in northern Iraq. It was another thing for a senior TGS officer to make such baseless allegations against a senior USG official, and to make those allegations in writing through military channels. PEARSON