IRAQ AND TURKEY: GOT SAYS SHIFTING FOCUS FROM

S E C R E T ANKARA 002817

SIPDIS


STATE FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS PTER TU IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ AND TURKEY: GOT SAYS SHIFTING FOCUS FROM
MILITARY PRESENCE TO TRADE AND AID, WANT TO DEVELOP
RELATIONS W/IRAQI KURDS, GET TURKMEN TO INTEGRATE

(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons: 1.5 (B and
D).



1. (S) According to MFA Iraq Department Head Kerim Uras
(strictly protect),the GOT held a coordination meeting on
Iraq policy April 26 at which MFA, TNIO and TGS reps agreed
that Turkey should concentrate more on trade with and aid to
Iraq, and less on the military issues surrounding the Iraqi
border. Uras said there was a broadly shared perception at
the meeting that due to Kurdish participation with US forces
in OIF, the US was increasingly listening to the Iraqi Kurds
and marginalizing the role of Turkey in northern Iraq. He
said that while Turkey had been unhappy with Iraqi Kurdish
behavior at the time Kirkuk and Mosul fell, things were
getting back on track, and the Turks were calm and determined
to further develop their relations with the Iraqi Kurds,
especially via trade. Uras said the MFA was considering
sending a delegation to northern Iraq in the near future
(Deputy U/S Ali Tuygan was scheduled to go there April 10 but
canceled over developments in Kirkuk).



2. (S) On the Iraqi Turkmen, Uras said the meeting assessed
that slowly the Iraqi Turkmen Front was getting its act
together but had weak leadership. The ITF should become more
aware that it must behave as a component of the new Iraq,
which required establishing better relations with other local
groups and more moderate statements and behavior. Turkey
believes the Iraqi Turkmen remain vulnerable. The ITF, he
said, is opening 30 offices across Iraq.



3. (S) The final issue raised at the meeting, according to
Uras, was the continuing PKK/KADEK presence in northern Iraq.
The Turks observed that the US had coordinated well with
Iran in "crushing" the MEK, and hoped we would do the same
with the PKK/KADEK. Uras added that, in his view, we did not
need to "crush" the PKK/KADEK, but rather capture them so
they could serve short prison terms and be "rehabilitated."
Uras also said the US and Turkey should soon discuss how to
end the work of the Peace Monitoring Force (PMF). In
general, Uras noted, Turkey has been soft on substance
regarding Iraq but has talked tough, while the Iranians and
Syrians have taken the opposite tact. Turkey, he said, was
fed up with having Syria and Iran hide behind Turkey on these
issues. He said Turkey would likely be less tough on
northern Iraq issues in the near future as it sought to shift
to a trade focus in relations with the Kurds there.
PEARSON