Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA625
2003-01-24 18:07:00
SECRET
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

NORTHERN IRAQ: PAVING THE WAY FOR US-TURKEY-KURD

Tags:  PREL MARR PREF PHUM TU IZ 
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S E C R E T ANKARA 000625 

SIPDIS


DEPT. FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA;
NSC FOR AMB. KHALILZAD


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR PREF PHUM TU IZ
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: PAVING THE WAY FOR US-TURKEY-KURD
TRILATS (II)


REF: A. STATE 18029

B. ANKARA 539

C. ANKARA 283

D. ANKARA 278


Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson. Reasons 1.5 b
and d.


S E C R E T ANKARA 000625

SIPDIS


DEPT. FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA;
NSC FOR AMB. KHALILZAD


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR PREF PHUM TU IZ
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: PAVING THE WAY FOR US-TURKEY-KURD
TRILATS (II)


REF: A. STATE 18029

B. ANKARA 539

C. ANKARA 283

D. ANKARA 278


Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson. Reasons 1.5 b
and d.



1. (U) This is an action request. See Para 4.



2. (S) TGS DCHOD Buyukanit told Ambassador Jan. 24 that the
MFA had reported to him that the US in Ref B discussion with
MFA U/S Ziyal said it did not want 5-way talks. Ambassador
told Buyukanit that was not true, that he had told Ziyal he
needed to ask Washington for instructions, and that it was
Turkey that told us it only wanted US-Turkey bilats and we
had been proceeding on that basis until the Ref B
conversation. Ambassador emphasized that we told MFA we were
ready for talks. Buyukanit indicated that now was better
than later and that he would be discussing this with the MFA.





3. (S) KDP and PUK Ankara reps Safeen Dizayee and Bahros
Galali told ONW POLAD Jan. 24 they had heard from their
respective headquarters about the idea and were instructed to
tell the MFA they were prepared to enter "US-Turkey-Iraqi
Kurd" talks. KDP rep Dizayee told us a TGS rep subsequently
called on him to say if Barzani and Talabani participated,
Iraqi Turkmen Front Chairman Sanan Aga must participate as
well. Dizayee said he passed that message back to Barzani,
who replied that ITF participation was not acceptable, as
this discussion was not about the Turkmen. Dizayee added
that the KDP did not want to "confuse these meetings with the
Ankara Process (which included the ITF as observers),as that
process had been superceded by the Washington Agreement and
overcome by events. The KDP did not want to create the
impression that there were problems between the KDP and the
PUK," which was what the Ankara Process was designed to
resolve.



4. (S) Action Request and Recommendation: We propose the
Department send us points for the Ambassador's use soonest to
open subject bilats with Turkey. We also suggest that Amb.
Khalilzad open subject talks ASAP either via STU III or
face-to-face in Washington or some other location before his
upcoming travel with the KDP and the PUK. We believe we need
to use these bilats to prepare the way for multi-party
face-to-face talks when Amb. Khalilzad is here in early
February and to sort out the issue of ITF participation. To
insist on ITF participation risks losing the KDP from the
process. To reject it risks losing the Turks. We need to
use the bilats to finesse this issue, possibly by including
the ITF as observers, as was done in the Ankara Process,
while making clear that this is not/not a continuation of
that process. End Action Request and Recommendation.
PEARSON