IRAQ: REPORTS OF OSMAN OCALAN SURRENDER HAVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001315

SIPDIS


DEPT. FOR NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE; BAGHDAD ALSO FOR CJTF-7


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2014
TAGS: PREL ETRD MARR PTER TU IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQ: REPORTS OF OSMAN OCALAN SURRENDER HAVE
TURKISH OFFICIALS ASKING US FOR GROUND TRUTH - GUIDANCE
REQUEST


REF: BAGHDAD 521


(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons 1.4 b and d.
Request for information and guidance at para 3.



1. (U) Turkish and Iraqi Kurd press have reported between
Feb. 27 and March 4 that PKK/KADEK/KONGRA-GEL leader Osman
Ocalan and between 15 and 100 of his followers may have
surrendered to US forces or to the KDP, and that Ocalan is
negotiating with US reps in Mosul to continue his activities
there. Every day there is a new story with a new revelation
or commentary. When asked by journalists about these
stories, FM Gul said he could not confirm them, but kept the
story alive by adding that the journalists should continue to
pay attention to the matter in the days ahead.



2. (C) DCM, PAO and other EMBASSY officers have been asked
about the veracity of the stories by reporters, senior TGS
officials and MFA reps (including by TGS J-3 LTG Yalcin and
his staff, and MFA Iraq Dept. Head Serra Erarslan). We have
told them that we had no information that could confirm the
stories but that we would look into them.



3. (C) GUIDANCE/INFORMATION REQUEST: We request that Dept.
and/or CPA confirm that the US does not have Osman Ocalan in
custody and is not engaged in discussions with this leader of
the terrorist group PKK/KADEK/KONGRA-GEL. We will continue
to draw on CPA Administrator Bremer's Jan. 28 (Reftel)
language on considering the PKK a terrorist organization
whose members will be treated as terrorists. We seek
guidance on any additional language we can use with Turkish
officials and/or press in responding to the continuing
Turkish queries about the status of Osman Ocalan in Iraq.



4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
EDELMAN