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