TURKISH MFA'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON PKK IN EUROPE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 007445 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2025 TAGS: PREL PTER TU GM SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA'S RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON PKK IN EUROPE REF: STATE 222689 Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Charles O. Blaha, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) We delivered reftel demarche on 19 December to Nevzat Uyanik, department head in the Security Bureau of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Uyanik emphasized that the Turkish government places importance on the USG's anti-PKK efforts in Europe, but the Turks believe the USG will have to apply political and diplomatic pressure on the Europeans to get them to take the necessary steps against the PKK. Uyanik believes that Turkey had already done everything necessary to get Germany and other European countries to close down PKK front organizations and extradite PKK terrorists back to Turkey, but the Europeans are not cooperating with Turkey for unspecified political reasons. ¶2. (C) Uyanik added that the Turkish government believes that the USG's anti-PKK in Europe initiative does not remove the necessity of anti-PKK measures in Iraq. He claimed that the lack of visible U.S. action against the PKK is causing the Turkish public to question the USG's commitment to helping Turkey and making it more difficult for the MFA to cooperate with the U.S. on counterterrorism issues. WILSON