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