Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA4381
2006-08-01 10:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY/IRAQ: DEMANDS FOR ACTION ON PKK ACCELERATE
how-toVZCZCXRO6777 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK DE RUEHAK #4381 2131025 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 011025Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7559 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004381
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ: DEMANDS FOR ACTION ON PKK ACCELERATE
AS MIDDLE EAST CRISIS CONTINUES
Classified By: CHARGE NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004381
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ: DEMANDS FOR ACTION ON PKK ACCELERATE
AS MIDDLE EAST CRISIS CONTINUES
Classified By: CHARGE NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).
1. (C) The public mood throughout Turkey is increasingly
agitated as PKK terrorism continues to claim lives and
Israeli operations in Lebanon spark public claims of double
standards and hypocrisy. In a July 31 address to the nation,
Prime Minister Erdogan said Turkey's patience on the PKK
issue had reached the exhaustion point. Meanwhile, rumors of
cross border military activity continue to circulate, though
available evidence indicates Turkish forces are holding their
positions in the southeast and border areas. In our dialogue
with the GOT, they insist that demonstrable positive results
must emerge in the near term.
2. (SBU) PKK attacks inside Turkey continue and the issue
remains extremely sensitive for the government here. One
child was killed and three others injured in the explosion of
a PKK landmine in Bingol province on July 30. A village
guard was killed in Agri province and six police officers
were injured when their outpost was raked by gunfire on July
30. In a July 31 address to the nation, PM Erdogan focused on
continued PKK depredations and the Turkish government's
readiness to take strong measures.
3. (C) Recent press reports allege actual or impending
Turkish cross-border incursions into northern Iraq to combat
PKK forces operating there; a report the week of July 24
alleged Turkish operations near the Iraqi town of Zakho.
Ankara DATTs traveled to Mardin in southeastern Turkey July
30 on a previously scheduled mission and contacted our U.S.
military liaison officer stationed in Silopi, on the
Turkey-Iraq border. Our LNO, fresh from discussions at the
Turkish special forces headquarters in the region, reported
no/no indications of any Turkish cross-border incursion into
Iraq.
4. (C) In our dialogue with the GOT, Turkish officials have
stressed that concrete steps to follow up on our, the Iraqi
government's, and Iraqi Kurd commitments to inhibit PKK
activities in northern Iraq are essential.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
MCELDOWNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS IZ TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY/IRAQ: DEMANDS FOR ACTION ON PKK ACCELERATE
AS MIDDLE EAST CRISIS CONTINUES
Classified By: CHARGE NANCY MCELDOWNEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D).
1. (C) The public mood throughout Turkey is increasingly
agitated as PKK terrorism continues to claim lives and
Israeli operations in Lebanon spark public claims of double
standards and hypocrisy. In a July 31 address to the nation,
Prime Minister Erdogan said Turkey's patience on the PKK
issue had reached the exhaustion point. Meanwhile, rumors of
cross border military activity continue to circulate, though
available evidence indicates Turkish forces are holding their
positions in the southeast and border areas. In our dialogue
with the GOT, they insist that demonstrable positive results
must emerge in the near term.
2. (SBU) PKK attacks inside Turkey continue and the issue
remains extremely sensitive for the government here. One
child was killed and three others injured in the explosion of
a PKK landmine in Bingol province on July 30. A village
guard was killed in Agri province and six police officers
were injured when their outpost was raked by gunfire on July
30. In a July 31 address to the nation, PM Erdogan focused on
continued PKK depredations and the Turkish government's
readiness to take strong measures.
3. (C) Recent press reports allege actual or impending
Turkish cross-border incursions into northern Iraq to combat
PKK forces operating there; a report the week of July 24
alleged Turkish operations near the Iraqi town of Zakho.
Ankara DATTs traveled to Mardin in southeastern Turkey July
30 on a previously scheduled mission and contacted our U.S.
military liaison officer stationed in Silopi, on the
Turkey-Iraq border. Our LNO, fresh from discussions at the
Turkish special forces headquarters in the region, reported
no/no indications of any Turkish cross-border incursion into
Iraq.
4. (C) In our dialogue with the GOT, Turkish officials have
stressed that concrete steps to follow up on our, the Iraqi
government's, and Iraqi Kurd commitments to inhibit PKK
activities in northern Iraq are essential.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
MCELDOWNEY