DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DENYING ALLEGED USG-PKK CONTACTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000704

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2013
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PINS, TU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: DENYING ALLEGED USG-PKK
CONTACTS


REF: A. SECSTATE 23898 B. ANKARA 0618


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


1. (C) Jan. 28 we delivered ref (A) talking points to MFA DDG
for Counterterrorism Kemal Asya. Asya replied that, in
response to our ref (B) protest over the recent press
campaign accusing the U.S. of cooperating with the PKK, MFA
had submitted a request to the Turkish General Staff
requesting the TGS file alleged to contain USG-PKK contacts.
TGS had not yet responded.


2. (C) Asya opened further that (a) this campaign should not
affect bilateral relations and (b) perhaps there have been
official USG contacts with the PKK anyway, contacts which it
would be natural for a global power to have. We rejoined
that Washington remains dismayed at lingering anti-U.S.
suspicions in certain Turkish agencies and that we have no
interest in contacts with PKK/KADEK since their nature as
terrorist organizations remains unchanged.
PEARSON