Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA4290
2006-07-25 07:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

DAS BRYZA DISCUSSES IRAQ AND PKK WITH TURKISH

Tags:  PREL PTER ENRG ETRD TU IZ 
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P 250751Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7459
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 004290 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2021
TAGS: PREL PTER ENRG ETRD TU IZ
SUBJECT: DAS BRYZA DISCUSSES IRAQ AND PKK WITH TURKISH
OFFICIALS

REF: ANKARA 4085

Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 004290

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2021
TAGS: PREL PTER ENRG ETRD TU IZ
SUBJECT: DAS BRYZA DISCUSSES IRAQ AND PKK WITH TURKISH
OFFICIALS

REF: ANKARA 4085

Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Senior MFA officials emphasized to visiting
EUR DAS Bryza that Turkey was pleased with US-Turkey
cooperation in Iraq and noted Turkey's interest in
cooperating with Iraq to develop Iraq's energy resources.
However, they also stressed that it was time for the Iraqi
Government to take action against the PKK in Northern Iraq
and pushed for the next trilateral meeting between the US,
Turkey, Iraq to produce tangible steps against the PKK in
Iraq. They also expressed their appreciation for US efforts
against PKK operations in Europe. END SUMMARY

--------------
Iraqi Neighbors Meeting a Success
--------------


2. (C) EUR DAS Bryza discussed Iraq and the PKK with Special
Envoy for Iraq Ambassador Oguz Celikkol on July 10 and MFA
Director General for Security Affairs Hayati Guven on July

11. Celikkol recounted the high points of the recent Iraqi
Neighbors meeting in Tehran, noting that it was positive,
with no surprises. The Iranians tried to insert a paragraph
into the joint communique about the current Palestinian
situation and the "Zionist" Israeli regime, but both Turkey
and Jordan rejected the attempt. The Turkish delegation
pressed for a paragraph urging new embassies be opened in
Baghdad and that neighboring countries send hig-level
visitors to Iraq. Celikkol told us that the Saudis pushed
back on this initiative, citing security concerns. The
Turkish delegation also suggested that the ministers meet
again informally at the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting
in New York. Celikkol said that Iraqi FonMin Zebari was
pleased with the communique, which noted the neighbors'
support for the new Iraqi government and cooperation against
terrorism. Some delegations had pushed for the next
Neighbors meeting to be held in Baghdad, but the security
situation was deemed too risky. The next formal meeting is
scheduled to be held in Cairo.

-------------- --------------
Additional Border Gates and Consensus Solution on Kirkuk

-------------- --------------


3. (C) Celikkol told Bryza that Zebari's visit to Ankara
(reftel) was positive, with Zebari characterizing it as the
most successful trip he had ever had to Ankara. Celikkol was
pleased that the GOI had agreed to open two new gates along
the Turkey-Iraq border, noting that he assumed this agreement
had been blessed by both President Talabani and Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) President Barzani. The second
gate, to be built near the Habur Gate, is scheduled to open
within one year and the third gate, at Ovakoy, will open
within the next three years. Celikkol also noted that the
FonMins had agreed to a direct rail link between Northern
Iraq and Turkey.


4. (C) Zebari reportedly told the Turks that the Iraqi Kurds
understood the need for a consensus solution to the Kirkuk
issue. Celikkol told us that Zebari supported reaching out
to the Turkmen and Arabs to try reach consensus solution on
Kirkuk that would be acceptable to all sides; this solution
would then be the issue for the referendum. Celikkol noted
that although Talabani had previously suggested this
solution, this was the first time Celikkol had heard approval
of this solution from the KDP (Zebari is a high-ranking KDP
official). The GOT believes that if consensus on the
referendum cannot be reached then the referendum should be

ANKARA 00004290 002 OF 004


delayed for a couple of years.

--------------
Iraq's Energy Resources
--------------


5. (C) Asked about oil and gas pipeline issues Celikkol
stated that Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salih had told him
that the Iraqis were working to make the Kirkuk-Ceyhan
pipeline workable and secure. Meanwhile, Turkish firms are
interested in exploring for natural gas in Northern Iraq.
Celikkol said he believed Turkish-Iraqi cooperation on energy
resources could be limitless, but that the security situation
has to improve before this can happen.


6. (C) Bryza then asked Celikkol about Turkey's apparently
contradictory actions on the Iraqi natural resources issue.
Bryza noted that although Turkey continues to insist that
Iraq's energy resources should be controlled by the Iraqi
central government, the GOT is allowing Turkish firms to sign
production sharing agreements with the KRG. Celikkol
reiterated that the Turkish position is that Baghdad should
have control over Iraqi natural resources and that only
Baghdad should have the right to sign production sharing
agreements. However, he explained, the GOT does not want to
interfere in private business and has, therefore, allowed
Turkish companies to sign contracts with the KRG. He told us
that the GOT advises private Turkish firms to wait to sign
agreements until after the natural resources issue is settled
in Baghdad, and warns them that the GOT will not assist them
if Baghdad refuses to honor separate agreements made with
provincial governments.


7. (C) DCM noted that this position appears to undermine
Turkey's demand that Baghdad retain control over Iraq's
resources. Celikkol repeated his previous statements and
noted that Turkish firms are eager to sign agreements with
the KRG now because they want to get the best possible deals.
Bryza suggested that Turkey might be able to stimulate
progress on this issue by inviting representatives from
Baghdad, the KRG, and Turkey to talk about development of
energy resources in northern Iraq. Celikkol answered that
Turkey would be happy to arrange such a meeting, but that it
did not want to be accused of interfering in a sovereign
state's business.

--------------
UN Meeting in Istanbul
--------------


8. (C) Celikkol noted that Turkey is sponsoring a United
Nations meeting on State Administration on July 25-27 in
Istanbul. Both Iraqi Vice Presidents, Tariq al-Hashimi and
Adil Abd al-Mahdi, might attend and FonMin Gul will host the
meeting. He conjectured that the Iraqi VPs' attendance would
send a positive message about Sunni and Shia unity in Iraq
and he urged us to encourage the Iraqis to attend.

--------------
Habur Gate Backup
--------------


9. (C) DCM reiterated the dire nature of the continuing
backup at the Habur Gate crossing and the effect that it was
having on coalition troops. She noted that we were told that
Turkey could guarantee that 80 fuel trucks a day be let
through, but that we needed at least 100 trucks a day. So
far nothing was going through, despite the fact that the
Embassy had sent the requested prioritized list of trucks to
the MFA and Customs officials. Celikkol reiterated the GOT's

ANKARA 00004290 003 OF 004


readiness to solve the problem.

--------------
Makhmour Camp
--------------


10. (C) MFA Director General for Security Affairs Guven told
Bryza that UNHCR has written President Talabani requesting
the Iraqi Government help in "securing Makhmour camp." Guven
interprets the request to mean active engagement by Iraqi
Security Forces to remove/eliminate the approximately 250 PKK
militants there. There has been no reply yet from the
Iraqis, although Guven asserted that UNHCR has a commitment
from Iraq to kick the PKK militants out of the camp. For
details, Guven referred us to the UNHCR operations plan. He
said the big "question mark" is about how effectively the
Iraqis will provide security. Turkey has not been satisfied
yet with Iraqi cooperation on PKK-related matters.


11. (C) Bryza assured Guven the issue has been discussed in
high-level USG meetings. Our goal is to enable and convince
the Iraqis to provide security, which could entail U.S.
forces filling in gaps in other areas currently handled by
Iraqis. Guven explained that Turkey,s overriding priority
on Makhmour is that it be definitively closed and not be
usable subsequentl by the PKK militants. As to what becomes
of the militants, he added, Turkey would prefer to have them
extradited back to Turkey but this is less important than
shuttering the camp.

--------------
Trilaterals
--------------


12. (C) Guven reiterated that Turkey,s priority for the
US-Turkish-Iraqi trilaterals is that they produce tangible
results. Turkey wants to avoid yet another trilateral
meeting with no meaningful action taken against the PKK in
Iraq. For this reason, the GOT would rather take the time to
prepare a meaningful meeting than rush ahead. He also
pointed out that it would be better to await the expected
personnel changes at the Turkish General Staff this August.
Guven said MFA is working with the Turkish General Staff and
the Turkish National Intelligence Organization to come up
with a list of suggested actions. He expects to have the
list of actions in about ten days and will share it with us,
realizing that the US will have ideas as well.


13. (C) Bryza asked about the status of actions discussed at
the last trilateral meeting. Guven said the Iraqis had now
agreed that the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty is still valid
and that no new extradition agreement is needed. Turkey is
still open to US, Turkish and Iraqi legal experts holding
further discussions. Turkey tried to get the Interior
Ministers of Iraq's neighbors to agree on "strong language"
on PKK at their last meeting, but other countries could not
accept the Turkish-proposed language. Guven said the Saudis
have now proposed milder language, but this is not enough for
Turkey.

--------------
Dealing with the Iraqi Government
--------------


14. (C) Although he did not participate in the Zebari
meetings with the GOT, Guven was concerned that Zebari
implied that the PKK in the Kandil mountains was beyond
Baghdad's control. Guven said Turkey has waited for
elections and the establishment of the new government; so it
is time to act. Bryza agreed and pointed to Secretary Rice's

ANKARA 00004290 004 OF 004


pledge to redouble US efforts to work with Iraqis against
PKK. Bryza informed Guven that Ambassador Khalilzad has
been talking with Barzani about the issue. Bryza explained
that the US and Turkey share the important goal of a unified
Iraq but that when the central Government professes an
inability to take action in the north, the USG is willing to
take up the PKK issue with the northern regional authorities
in order to get results. Bryza linked these efforts to the
Shared Vision and Structured Dialogue and said Turkey and the
US need to be pursue these issues with the Iraqis more
frequently and in a more structured way in order to get
results.

--------------
PKK in Europe
--------------


15. (C) Guven expressed his appreciation for US efforts
against PKK networks in Europe, going over the list of
countries in which the US has engaged. He thought it might
be useful to add the Netherlands in the future. Bryza
reiterated that the US knows that actions in Europe are not a
substitute for action against PKK in Iraq. DCM suggested it
might be useful to get Guven together with the British,
French, and German DCM,s in Ankara and strategize how to
make further progress; Guven agreed. He also reacted
positively to the idea of trilateral working groups in key
western European capitals that would bring together law
enforcement, intelligence and foreign ministry officials from
the US, Turkey and the host country to share information and
target collections and ultimate law enforcement actions.


16. (C) Guven explained that a crucial reason the Europeans
do not take more action against the PKK is that the EU
Clearinghouse designation only applies to te financing of
terrorism--it does not make it a crime to be a member of the
PKK. According to Guven, only in Germany is PKK membership a
crime. Bryza responded that this is why it is useful to try
to go after PKK operatives for whatever crime they can be
charged for, even though in an ideal world it would be
preferable to be able to charge them for terrorism. DCM
pointed out how disruptive it would be to arrest a key PKK
operative such as Riza Altun (NOTE: Guven noticed that
apparently Altun has been replaced. END NOTE). Guven
reiterated how helpful all the US messages have been and said
they make a difference in increasing European political
determination, adding that the US efforts in Europe also
sent a message to the PKK that their activities are not
acceptable.


17. (C) DAS Bryza cleared this cable.





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