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