TURKISH MFA CLAIMS PKK SEEKS TO INTIMIDATE TURKISH

S E C R E T ANKARA 004212

SIPDIS

BAGHDAD ALSO FOR MNF-I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2024
TAGS: PTER PINR MARR MOPS TU IZ
SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA CLAIMS PKK SEEKS TO INTIMIDATE TURKISH
COMPANIES IN KIRKUK

REF: USDAO ANKARA IIR 6 898 0541 04

Classified By: Acting DCM James Moore for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) MFA Director for Counterterrorism Ahmet Yildiz called
in PolMilOff July 26 to discuss PKK/Kongra Gel activities in
northern Iraq. Specifically, he brought to our attention a
report from Turkish intelligence that in early July the PKK
sent a group of 25-30 terrorists to Kirkuk to attempt to
intimidate Turkish companies and businesspeople there. He
believed their intent was either to drive off the companies
and/or extort money. He did not know whether Turks in Kirkuk
had actually experienced any intimidation, however.


2. (S) Yildiz said that the Turkish mission in Baghdad had
presented this information to the Iraqi Interim Government in
early July, but has received no response. Noting that
Turkish contact with the U.S. military had been reduced since
the handover of sovereignty to the Iraqis, Yildiz asked that
we bring this information to the attention of the U.S.
military. Yildiz would not say (or did not know) whether
this information had been passed to us via intel channels.


3. (S) ODC and DAO have confirmed that this information has
not/not been passed through any military channel here in
Ankara (including normal ops and intel channels as well as
the EUCOM Intel Fusion Cell here in Ankara that interacts
weekly with the TGS J2 personnel on Iraqi issues). However,
DAO has received a different but similar report through
Turkish Special Forces regarding eight PCDK individuals
seeking to sabotage Turkish companies in Kirkuk with TNT, as
reported reftel.


4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
DEUTSCH