TURKISH RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ETLO

S E C R E T ANKARA 001748 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2026 TAGS: PREL PTER TU CH SUBJECT: TURKISH RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ETLO REF: A. STATE 006383 ¶B. ANKARA 000252 Classified By: Janice G. Weiner, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) We met with Huseyin Ozdemir, Chief of Section for the International Security Section of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on March 30 to follow up on our January demarche (reftels) regarding China's request that the UN designate the East Turkistan Liberation Organization (ELTO/SHAT) as a terrorist organization. ¶2. (C) Ozdemir, reading from handwritten notes, stated that the ETLO ceased activities in Turkey in 2003. Prior to 2003, ETLO had engaged in activities such as those "publicly mentioned by China." He also stated that the GOT possesses no evidence of ETLO ties to Al Qa,ida, nor does the GOT have any information suggesting that the ETLO poses a threat to China, the U.S., or any other international interest. ¶3. (C) Ozdemir confirmed that Mehmet Emin Hazret, the alleged leader of ETLO, is a Turkish citizen and resides in Turkey. The GOT, however, has no evidence that Mehmet Hazret is connected to the ETLO and possesses no information that Mehmet Emin Hazret is engaged in terrorist activities. ¶4. (C) In response to our questions, Ozdemir stated that China had demarched the Turkish MFA regarding the ETLO designation issue, but said he was unaware of any Turkish response. We asked if Turkey would support or oppose Chinese efforts to designate ETLO as a terrorist organization. Ozdemir, who had no guidance on the issue, suggested that Turkey would, at this juncture, be unlikely to support the designation of the ETLO as a terrorist organization, since the GOT lacks evidence that ETLO is engaged in terrorist activities. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ MCELDOWNEY