ANKARA PUK REP REPORTS TALABANI STILL INSISTS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006991

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU IZ
SUBJECT: ANKARA PUK REP REPORTS TALABANI STILL INSISTS ON
DELAY IN KURDISH ELECTIONS, DENIES PLANS FOR KRG REFERENDUM
ON INDEPENDENCE

REF: A. ANKARA 6946

Classified By: Political Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts. Reasons 1
.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) PolMilOffs met Dec. 15 with Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK) Ankara representative Bahros Galali to
discuss our concerns about Kurdish calls for a delay in
governorate council elections in Kirkuk. Galali asked if the
elections would take place as originally planned if the Kurds
did not participate; PolMilOff emphasized that USG, the IIG,
and the IECI believe elections should take place everywhere
in the country on time.


2. (C) During the conversation, Galali's cellular phone
rang and, after a brief conversation in Kurdish, Galali hung
up and indicated that it was PUK President Jalal Talabani,
who advised him to tell us that the PUK will boycott
governorate council elections in Kirkuk until Article 58 of
the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) is implemented in
Kirkuk. According to Galali, Talabani told him that agreeing
to participate in the election before this would signal PUK
approval for the Arabization of Kirkuk. PolMilOff emphasized
that the outcome of the elections would not determine the
outcome of the Article 58 process.


3. (C) PolMilOff indicated to Galali that we have heard
reports that the Kurdish Regional Government might hold a
referendum on independence during Jan. 30 elections (see
reftel). Galali denied hearing of any such plan, and said
that PUK would never seek such a referendum without first
consulting the USG.


4. (C) Comment: As evidenced by our previous experience and
by his apparently receiving a phone call from Talabani during
our conversation, Galali is well plugged into the PUK
leadership. It would appear, therefore, that the idea of an
independence referendum may be a KDP gambit (see reftel),and
not supported by the PUK. End comment.


5. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.


EDELMAN