PKK TERRORISM: TURKS PROVIDE MORE INFO ON HIGH

S E C R E T ANKARA 006849 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2030 TAGS: PTER TU US SUBJECT: PKK TERRORISM: TURKS PROVIDE MORE INFO ON HIGH VALUE PKK INDIVIDUALS IN EUROPE REF: A. ANKARA 6634 ¶B. ANKARA 6448 ¶C. ANKARA 6233 ¶D. STATE 207914 ¶E. ANKARA 4230 Classified By: Political Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts for reasons 1.4 (b, c, d). ¶1. (S) Summary: MFA provided us with additional information on the seven high value PKK individuals in Europe, responding to our earlier request (ref B),and thought Ankara could accommodate a visit by a technical team from Washington to develop further information the week of November 28. Security DG Guven informed us that the Turkish Embassy in Washington would soon be delivering information on the PKK ties of two US-based institutes to the Department. He requested a road map of our approaches to European countries on the PKK, praising the demarche on the Belgians (ref D). He reported that an arrested PKK member claimed that he received his target from Roj TV broadcasts. Guven shared a CD of photos that he stated showed the PKK collecting duties in a market just across the border from Turkey. He also said he intended to share with the USG a draft agreement on law enforcement cooperation among the Iraq neighbors' group; he was particularly interested in receiving our comments on the extradition section. End summary. ¶2. (S) On November 18, MFA Security Affairs Director General Hayati Guven called in PolMilCouns and acting EconCouns to pass additional information on the seven prominent PKK individuals in Europe. This information was developed following the Charge's complaint to MFA Deputy Undersecretary Sensoy about the quality of the files passed earlier (ref B). (Note: We have passed the documents Guven gave us to the Department -- EUR/SE. End note.) Regarding plans for a technical team to visit Ankara sometime in the future to develop files on PKK members crimes committed in Europe, Guven thought the Turks could be ready to meet as early as the week of November 28, provided we confirmed dates soon. ¶3. (S) Recalling his discussion with visiting EUR/SE Director Silliman several weeks earlier, Guven said he had sent to the Turkish Embassy in Washington information on two Kurdish institutes in the US that the Turks claim are fronts for the PKK. He had not yet heard that this information had been delivered, suggesting the need for translation as a likely reason for the delay. ¶4. (S) Guven expressed appreciation for the US's ongoing efforts with European governments on the PKK. Emboffs encouraged Turkey to engage the Europeans as well. Guven said that was his intent. In fact, he had requested dossiers from the Turkish National Intelligence Organization of the PKK presence in each EU member which he intended to use to develop demarches. To be more effective, he thought the Turkish approaches should be made around the time of US demarches. To that end, he requested a road map of our effort in Europe (who we are going to approach when and at what level). Meanwhile, he reported that on November 16 he had sent to the Turkish Embassy in Copenhagen news that a PKK member recently arrested in Izmir for planning to strike at a "soft target" (NFI) claimed he received targeting instructions via Roj TV. The Embassy had instructions to share this information with the Danes. ¶5. (S) Guven also gave emboffs a CD with images of the PKK collecting customs duties in a market just across the border from the Turkish village of Gulyali, Sirnak. Another CD was being sent to the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad where it may be shared with our Embassy. He said that, because of the clandestine means of collection in Iraq, Ankara was not prepared to share the photos with the Iraqis and asked that we not do so either. (Note: We are forwarding the CD to the Department -- EUR/SE. End note.) ¶6. (S) MFA has completed a draft of the agreement that the neighbors, interior ministers agreed to work on during their last meeting in Istanbul (ref E),according to Guven. Once the draft has been cleared by other GOT agencies and before circulating it to the neighbors' group, Guven intended to share it with us. He was particularly interested in getting US views on the section on extradition. MCELDOWNEY