TERRORIST FINANCING: TURKISH MFA ON EU EXTENDING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000514 SIPDIS STATE FOR EB, EUR/SE, AND S/CT BLACK AND SULLIVAN NSC FOR BRYZA AND MCKIBBEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2009 TAGS: PTER EFIN TU IZ SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCING: TURKISH MFA ON EU EXTENDING PKK TERRORIST DESIGNATION TO KADEK AND KONGRA GEL REF: A. 2003 MADRID 4545 ¶B. STATE 6143 CLASSIFIED BY DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION ROBERT S. DEUTSCH FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Summary: In two meetings with Turkish MFA Deputy Director General for Research and Intelligence Kemal Asya, Econoffs delivered ref B talking points, emphasizing the need for Turkey to work closely with those EU countries that favor designation of Kadek and Kongra Gel, and to provide maximum documentary evidence for EU deliberations. Asya claimed Turkey provided ample evidence. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On January 8, and again on January 14, following the U.S. designation of Kongra Gel, econoffs met with MFA Deputy Director General for Research and Intelligence Kemal Asya. On January 8, econoffs passed on reports (ref A) from Spain that Turkey did not always provide as much evidence and documentation as would be helpful for EU clearinghouse meetings. Econoffs pointed out that providing maximum evidence and documentation makes it harder for those opposed to designation. In the January 14 meeting, econoffs delivered ref b's talking points, informing Asya of the designation and reiterating the need to provide a strong evidentiary case to the EU. ¶3. (C) Asya was clearly grateful for the U.S. designation. ¶4. (C) On the issue of providing evidence to the EU, Asya claimed that Turkey has provided cassettes of Kadek/Kongra Gel activities and Kadek/Kongra Gel publications, and that it is clear from the Television station appearances of Kadek and Kongra Gel that they are, in fact, PKK. ¶5. (C) Asya went on to conclude that EU countries resisting designation are in effect providing indirect support to PKK. He drew a parallel with the difficulties Turkey has had with EU countries regarding the much smaller, but very lethal Turkish Marxist terrorist group DHKP-C (which has also targeted official Americans). Asya said Belgium and the Netherlands, in particular, continue to allow DHKP-C to have offices and harbor the group's leader. As a result, there have been attempted attacks on Turkish leaders during visits to Brussels. For a period, according to Asya, the DHKP-C office in Brussels even displayed its flag openly. When Turkey presses Belgium to take action, according to Asya, the Belgian authorities say the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Brussels. Asya surmised that, as with DHKP-C, some EU countries provide indirect support to PKK and its successors. ¶6. (C) Comment: Asya may not have fully grasped the need for Turkey to do a better job of helping itself on this issue. Post will continue to make this point to appropriate GOT interlocutors. End Comment. DEUTSCH