Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA5490
2006-09-20 09:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY WANTS TO STEP UP PKK IN EUROPE WORK
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005490
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL KTFN TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY WANTS TO STEP UP PKK IN EUROPE WORK
REF: ANKARA 5124 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005490
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL KTFN TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY WANTS TO STEP UP PKK IN EUROPE WORK
REF: ANKARA 5124 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary. The Turkish MFA is interested in continued
cooperation against PKK logistical and support networks, and
suggests that the issue could be raised with the Europeans by
the new U.S. and Turkish Special Envoys for Countering the
PKK. Another round of U.S.-Turkey interagency meetings could
also be useful to share information and strategize about how
more effectively to convince European governments to take
action. End Summary.
2. (C) At an introductory meeting with the incoming DOJ
Regional Legal Advisor based at Embassy Ankara, MFA Security
DG Hayati Guven told us September 18 that Turkey values the
work with the United States to convince European governments
to crackdown on PKK activities in Europe. But, he said,
success is uneven and partial so far. Guven agreed that
Germany had made some significant arrests, but noted, by way
of example, the recent release of a senior PKK operative in
the Netherlands and similar releases in Belgium. He was also
dissatisfied with the level of law enforcement cooperation
with France.
3. (C) Guven confirmed press reports that the GOT continues
to provide the Danish prosecutor investigating Roj-TV with
materials that could be used to strengthen the case that the
station glorifies and encourages terrorism among Turkey's
Kurdish citizens. He said he understood that the prosecutor
wants to proceed with a prosecution, but wants to ensure that
he has an airtight case. Thus, Turkey continues to provide
tapes of the most incendiary broadcast materials.
--------------
IDEAS FOR ENHANCING COOPERATION
--------------
4. (C) Guven wants to find ways to keep the pressure on the
Europeans. While he understood that General Ralston, as the
U.S. Special Envoy for Countering PKK Terrorism, would
prioritize action in northern Iraq, Guven thought it could
also be useful for Ralston to raise action against the PKK
with European contacts. He expected that Ralston's Turkish
counterpart, General Baser, would include PKK activities in
Europe in his mandate. Guven said he would also welcome
another visit to Ankara of the U.S. interagency team that
last came to Turkey in December 2005. He said this would be
a useful opportunity to share information and strategize.
Turkey has, Guven said, new information, and could even -- he
thought -- be ready to share copies of the files presented in
support of GOT extradition requests with U.S. legal experts.
5. (C) Comment: As our reporting has repeatedly stressed,
we share Guven's belief that the "PKK in Europe" effort holds
further unrealized potential, and that it has made a positive
contribution to bilateral relations. Post would support
another interagency visit. It is even possible (we are not
as confident as Guven) that the Justice Ministry could be
convinced, with sufficient lead time, to share its sensitive
case files. It could also be useful for U.S. law enforcement
officials assigned to embassies in Europe to attend such a
meeting in order to share their insights with the Turks.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PTER PREL KTFN TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY WANTS TO STEP UP PKK IN EUROPE WORK
REF: ANKARA 5124 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Ross Wilson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary. The Turkish MFA is interested in continued
cooperation against PKK logistical and support networks, and
suggests that the issue could be raised with the Europeans by
the new U.S. and Turkish Special Envoys for Countering the
PKK. Another round of U.S.-Turkey interagency meetings could
also be useful to share information and strategize about how
more effectively to convince European governments to take
action. End Summary.
2. (C) At an introductory meeting with the incoming DOJ
Regional Legal Advisor based at Embassy Ankara, MFA Security
DG Hayati Guven told us September 18 that Turkey values the
work with the United States to convince European governments
to crackdown on PKK activities in Europe. But, he said,
success is uneven and partial so far. Guven agreed that
Germany had made some significant arrests, but noted, by way
of example, the recent release of a senior PKK operative in
the Netherlands and similar releases in Belgium. He was also
dissatisfied with the level of law enforcement cooperation
with France.
3. (C) Guven confirmed press reports that the GOT continues
to provide the Danish prosecutor investigating Roj-TV with
materials that could be used to strengthen the case that the
station glorifies and encourages terrorism among Turkey's
Kurdish citizens. He said he understood that the prosecutor
wants to proceed with a prosecution, but wants to ensure that
he has an airtight case. Thus, Turkey continues to provide
tapes of the most incendiary broadcast materials.
--------------
IDEAS FOR ENHANCING COOPERATION
--------------
4. (C) Guven wants to find ways to keep the pressure on the
Europeans. While he understood that General Ralston, as the
U.S. Special Envoy for Countering PKK Terrorism, would
prioritize action in northern Iraq, Guven thought it could
also be useful for Ralston to raise action against the PKK
with European contacts. He expected that Ralston's Turkish
counterpart, General Baser, would include PKK activities in
Europe in his mandate. Guven said he would also welcome
another visit to Ankara of the U.S. interagency team that
last came to Turkey in December 2005. He said this would be
a useful opportunity to share information and strategize.
Turkey has, Guven said, new information, and could even -- he
thought -- be ready to share copies of the files presented in
support of GOT extradition requests with U.S. legal experts.
5. (C) Comment: As our reporting has repeatedly stressed,
we share Guven's belief that the "PKK in Europe" effort holds
further unrealized potential, and that it has made a positive
contribution to bilateral relations. Post would support
another interagency visit. It is even possible (we are not
as confident as Guven) that the Justice Ministry could be
convinced, with sufficient lead time, to share its sensitive
case files. It could also be useful for U.S. law enforcement
officials assigned to embassies in Europe to attend such a
meeting in order to share their insights with the Turks.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON