NORTHERN IRAQ: RAISING THE END OF PMF WITH D/CHOD

S E C R E T ANKARA 001541 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/NGA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2013 TAGS: PTER PREL MOPS MARR PINR TU IZ SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: RAISING THE END OF PMF WITH D/CHOD BASBUG REF: A. ANKARA 676 ¶B. ANKARA 519 ¶C. 03 ANKARA 7526 ¶D. 03 ANKARA 6804 (U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman. Reasons 1.4 b and d. Recommendation at para 2. ¶1. (S/NF) The visit to Washington of Turkish General Staff Deputy Chief General Basbug presents an excellent opportunity to discreetly suggest to the Turks that they unilaterally declare the Peace Monitoring Force (PMF) in northern Iraq a success and close the force down, per recommendations Ref A. We have heard through military liaison channels that Turkish Special Forces officers in the field would be prepared to bring the PMF to a close, but will not do so without a push from the US. We also note that after June 30, when Iraqis gain full sovereignty and the Transitional Administrative Law goes into effect, the Kurdistan Regional Government will be the legitimate local authority in northern Iraq, and may seek to use that status to close down the PMF itself. It is in our interests, as well as those of the Turks and the PMF, to have the PMF disbanded before June 30. ¶2. (S/NF) RECOMMENDATION: We recommend that Washington interlocutors discreetly ask General Basbug to get Turkey to declare the PMF's mission successfully completed and to disband the force within the next 90 days per recommendations Ref A. Should this require a meeting of the Ankara Process's Special Political Monitoring Group, we should assure Basbug that we would support the immediate convening of the group for this purpose. ¶3. (U) Baghdad Minimize Considered. EDELMAN