TURKEY OFFERS REVISIONS TO PKK "FRAMEWORK FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005353

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2015
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL TU IZ PKK
SUBJECT: TURKEY OFFERS REVISIONS TO PKK "FRAMEWORK FOR
ACTION" DOCUMENT

REF: STATE 149796

Classified By: Acting DCM Timothy A. Betts for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) MFA Director General for Security Affairs Amb. Hayati
Guven called in PolMilCouns Sept. 9 to hand over Turkey's
proposed revisions to the PKK "Framework for Action" document
(reftel) as part of the trilateral U.S.-Turkey-Iraq process
on the PKK. Guven noted that MFA Deputy Under Secretary Amb.
Nabi Sensoy had drafted the Turkish revisions. Full text of
the Turkish document in para. four below. Guven said he
would appreciate U.S. feedback on Turkey's proposals, and
agreed that this is a "living document."


2. (C) Following is the Turkish explanation for a number of
their proposed revisions (there are other proposed Turkish
revisions; these are the items Guven discussed with us):

--Para. 1: GOT proposes to change the phrase from "eliminate
the PKK terrorist threat" to "eliminate the terrorist PKK
presence in Iraq." Guven explained that Turkey wants this
change in order to narrow the focus of the trilateral talks
to tangible steps to deal with the PKK in Iraq (he described
achieving these tangible steps as Turkey's top priority for
these talks). He referred to what he described as the
essence of UNSCR 1373: "prosecute or extradite," saying this
is what Turkey expects of Iraq.

--Turkey seeks to eliminate para. 2 of the U.S. text (setting
up direct contacts between Turkish and Iraqi entities) and to
make this an agenda item for the next trilateral meeting.
Guven explained that Turkey did not get the impression from
the last meeting in Washington that the Iraqis were very
serious about bilateral mutual legal assistance and
cooperation. He cited the Iraqi head of delegation's comment
that the Interpol "red border" warrants "were just pieces of
paper"--as well as the ITG's failure to send a delegation
prepared to definitively describe Iraq's procedures for
dealing with "red borders" and with extradition requests--as
evidence for this claim. In addition, no one came from the
Iraqi Ministry of Justice, he observed. Thus Turkey believes
it is better that Iraq and Turkey agree to proceed
cooperatively before establishing these contacts.
PolMilCouns responded that perhaps if the relevant Turkish
and Iraqi entities were to make contact now they could
discuss a basis for cooperation, but Guven repeated that this
should be a matter for the next trilateral meeting.

--Para. 8 (U.S. text): Guven said that Turkey does not want
the next trilateral talks to take place on the margins of the
Iraq neighbors' interior ministers' meeting; these should be
separate. He added that while Turkey matched our wording
that the next trilateral meeting should be in October, in
fact the GOT believes it would be better to hold them in
November, i.e., after Ramadan. He asserted that meeting
during Ramadan is no problem for Turkey, but opined that it
would be difficult for the Iraqis. Additionally, if the
meeting were to be held in the region (for example, in
Amman),Ramadan might also present a problem there.


3. (C) COMMENT: While the Turks are willing to continue the
trilateral process--and want to work with us to manage public
expectations--they are dissatisfied with what they see as a
lack of seriousness by the Iraqi side. END COMMENT.


4. (C) Text of Turkish re-draft of Framework for Action
document (as delivered--note internal paragraph numbering)

BEGIN TEXT

PKK Trilateral Talks
August 6, 2005
Washington DC
Framework for Action

Following is the framework of action proposed at the
conclusion of the PKK Trilateral Talks:


1. Iraq and Turkey respect each other's differing priorities
on counterterrorism and agree on the need to eliminate the
terrorist PKK presence in Iraq. Specifically:

- Iraq recognizes the need for rapid and tangible steps to
eliminate the PKK threat towards Turkey, including measures
to be taken against PKK terrorists which will be discussed
during the Trilateral Talks. Iraq also recognizes that PKK,
as a terrorist organization, might pose a threat to its own
stability.

- Turkey recognizes that Iraq feels besieged by multiple
terrorist threats and that its capabilities are limited. It
attaches highest priority to the preservation of the
sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and stability of
Iraq.


2. In conformity with the international practice, Interpol
Red Notices will be duly treated by Iraqi authorities in
execution of Turkey's demands for temporary arrests and
extradition of PKK terrorists within the framework of
Turkey-Iraq treaty on legal assistance and extradition. At
the forthcoming meeting of the Trilateral Talks, Iraq will
clarify which additional documents are required for the
completion of extradition procedures and will determine its
position on the bilateral treaty on legal assistance and
extradition with Turkey and with the US, while ensuring that
they remain in force, to allow immediate action against the
PKK.


3. Cooperation modalities between Turkey's and Iraq's police,
security services and the Ministries of Interior will be an
agenda item of the next meeting of the Trilateral Talks.


4. Turkey and Iraq will consult on the need of training and
equipment to improve the capability of Iraqi police and
security forces to arrest PKK terrorists.


5. Iraq and Turkey, with facilitation from the United States,
will hold discussions on how to eliminate the PKK presence at
the Makhmour Camp.


6. Iraq and Turkey will further elaborate on the above
initiatives in separate discussions underway among the
Ministers of Interior of the Neighboring Countries of Iraq.


7. Trilateral Talks will reconvene in October 2005.


8. The United States Embassy in Baghdad will, if necessary,
facilitate direct discussions of the above matters between
Iraq and Turkey.

END TEXT
MCELDOWNEY