PKK/KADEK/KHK MEETS NOV. 15 IN NORTHERN IRAQ:

S E C R E T ANKARA 007133

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2013
TAGS: PTER PREL PREF MARR MOPS TU IZ
SUBJECT: PKK/KADEK/KHK MEETS NOV. 15 IN NORTHERN IRAQ:
UNCLEAR IF THIS IS THE "PRESS CONFERENCE" OR IF PRESS
MEETING IS STILL IN THE WORKS

REF: A. ANKARA XXXX

B. FBIS GMP 20031111000090

C. FBIS GMP 20031111000085

D. FBIS GMP 20031111000043


(U) Classified by CDA Robert Deutsch. Reasons 1.5 b and d.



1. (U) The Turkish press reported Nov. 16 that the
newly-established KHK (the new name adopted by the PKK/KADEK)
held a meeting Nov. 15 in the mountains of northern Iraq near
Sulaymaniyah along the Iran-Iraq border. The press reports
say that the KHK had planned to meet at a Mosul hotel, but
was prevented from doing so by US forces. One Turkish paper
("Sabah") claimed that US troops raided a number of houses in
Mosul in which the PKK/KHK militants were staying, but that
no arrests were made. The KHK, according to the press,
subsequently organized a press conference in the mountain
village of Dolesehidan. The new KHK Chairman, Zubeyir Aydar,
addressed the press there, saying the KHK intended to lay
down its arms and move from the mountains into the cities to
carry out political activities. He also said the KHK would
renounce its call for an independent Kurdish state, but
warned that PKK military units would not be disbanded. Aydar
suggested that the US could serve as a mediator for a final
settlement.



2. (U) Turkish papers also reported that Amb. Edelman had
assured Turkish PM Erdogan Nov. 15 that the US would continue
to treat the PKK/KHK as a terrorist organization despite its
name change and reorganization. One paper (left-leaning
"Cumhuriyet") claimed that the Ambassador gave assurances
that the US would not allow the KHK to hold its press
conference in Iraq. While acknowledging that the KHK was
forced to change venues because of US action, the paper
suggests that the Ambassador did not make good on his promise.



3. (S) While the KHK apparently held a meeting Nov. 15, it is
unclear whether any international journalists attended. That
the KHK was unable to hold a large, well-organized press
conference with TV cameras and international journalists Nov.
15 is a credit to US action. However, we do not discount the
possibility that the KHK may continue trying to organize a
press gathering on a larger, more international scale. We
urge CPA and Washington to remain vigilant to prevent such a
gathering from taking place.



4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
DEUTSCH