TURKEY REQUESTS COUNTER-IED TRAINING AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003965 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2015 TAGS: MARR MASS PREL PTER TU SUBJECT: TURKEY REQUESTS COUNTER-IED TRAINING AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT REF: A. 06/09/05 JCS/J-5 MEMCON ON TU DCHOD-VCJCS TANK SESSION AND LUNCH ¶B. ANKARA 3954 ¶C. ANKARA 3953 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Since the June 6-8 visit of the Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS DCHOD) General Ilker Basbug to Washington, TGS has raised on three separate occasions a request for USG information-sharing and technology support to counter the increasing number of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) discovered in southeastern Turkey and presumably placed by the PKK terrorist organization. Post considers the IED issue to be a real and growing threat to Turkey and, recognizing technology transfer limitations, urges the most fulsome response possible to meet Turkey's technical support request. We welcome indications by the Joint Staff and HQ US EUCOM that an IED Task Force may be able to visit Ankara the second half of July in response to TGS' request. In preparation for this visit Post recommends that the full range of US technical support options be explored. End Summary. ¶2. (C) During his June 8 meeting with VCJCS Pace, DCHOD Basbug underscored Turkish losses to PKK-related IEDs in Southeastern Turkey and requested US assistance (Ref A). During subsequent meetings on June 29 with COM USNAVEUR ADM Ulrich and on July 5 with Charge d'Affaires, DCHOD further pressed the issue (Refs B and C). On July 3, TGS leadership and military service chiefs met with PM Erdogan for five hours to discuss the escalating IED attacks and other security issues. Turkish press characterized this as the longest meeting between the military and government since a 1997 meeting that preceded military action to oust then-PM Erbakan. ¶3. (C) Turkish government and public displeasure at the lack of US action to counter the PKK presence in Iraq has been a primary source of anti-American sentiment and a downturn in bilateral relations in past months. The US has worked hard to reverse this with the recent series of high level visits to Ankara and Washington. At every opportunity the US reaffirms its commitment to the fight against all terrorist groups, including the PKK. While we have taken some steps to back up these words with action - listing the PKK as a terrorist organization and getting the EU to do the same, setting up an intel-sharing cell in Ankara and issuing the Fragmentary Order (FRAGO) to detain PKK leadership Multi-National Force/Iraq comes across in the course of normal operations, nothing has resulted in the capture of PKK leadership. There are indications that the PKK presence near the border with Turkey is growing and infiltrations across the border continue. ¶4. (C) Comment: US assistance to counter IED attacks may not only help reduce the loss of life but could help prevent a potentially destabilizing situation from spiraling out of control. The Turks would welcome information on the lessons we have learned in Afghanistan and Iraq but they will need appropriate tools to counter the IED threat. The provision of US technical countermeasures would provide concrete evidence of the US commitment to the fight against all terrorism wherever it is found. If we cannot provide either US or foreign equipment, we should extend every effort to link Turkey with appropriate equipment sources. End Comment. MCELDOWNEY