KURDS WANT TO RESOLVE THE PKK PROBLEM

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 002628

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO NSC.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER TU IZ
SUBJECT: KURDS WANT TO RESOLVE THE PKK PROBLEM

REF: ANKARA 4163

Classified By: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) Summary: Talabani understands the seriousness of
situation with Turkey. He and Barzani are in agreement on
steps show Iraqi-Kurdish bona fides. In addition to steps
aimed at stopping PKK attacks on Turkish targets, he believes
that progress toward a comprehensive solution could be
achieved if the Turks are willing to consider a political
approach.


2. (S) On July 21 Ambassador spoke twice to President
Talabani on the need to address growing Turkish impatience
with PKK attacks on Turkish targets. Talabani already had
been briefed by a PUK representative in Ankara on the state
of play with the Turks. He understood the seriousness of the
situation and said Iraq needed to take steps to prevent
cross-border Turkish military operations. He relayed that the
Iranians had just bombed a PKK target on the border the
previous day. He said that he has proposed to KRG President
Barzani that they must approach the PKK and warn them to stop
as they are undermining broader Kurdish interests. PKK is
behaving like Hezballah in Lebanon, and the Kurds could not
afford to deal with an Israeli-style Turkish solution.


3. (S) In a follow on conversation, Talabani reported to the
Ambassador that he and KRG President Barzani had spoken and
were in complete agreement on what they are ready to do
prevent Turkish cross-border operations in northern Iraq.

--They are sending an emissary to PKK leaders to urge that
they accept an immediate, unilateral ceasefire.

--Peshmerga forces will deploy within the vicinity of the PKK
forces, but they will not confront them. This will send a
strong message to the PKK.

--They will close all the PKK-front offices (Kurdish
Democratic Solution Party) in Kurdistan, Kirkuk, Mosul, and
Baghdad. (Talabani informed the Ambassador that Prime
Minister Maliki made the decision ordering the Interior
Minister to close these offices).

--The KDP and PUK will send a joint delegation to Ankara
immediately. Their message would be that Barzani and Talabani
are friends of the Turks and see the PKK as terrorists. They
want to help, as these steps demonstrate, but need the Turks
to understand that there must be a political solution on
offer if a lasting solution to the PKK problem can be found.
If the Turks undertook military action across the border, it
would make it much harder for the KDP-PUK to help.

--KDP and PUK agree to trilateral talks as soon as possible.

--If the PKK continues to attack Turkish targets, they will
be told that the Peshmerga will essentially cordon them off
to prevent them from dispersing into Kurdistan.

--Talabani intended to convey these points to the Turkish
Charge today. (He later told the Ambassador that he did so).

--Talabani told the Ambassador that Iran was fanning the
flames of conflict. The Iranian Ambassador in Ankara
allegedly asked in a public statement for Turkey to send
forces to northern Iraq and said that Iran is willing to
facilitate such a move. (Talabani summoned the Iranian
Ambassador to explain this today).


4. (S) Talabani told the Ambassador that the Kurds have to
offer a political way ahead for dealing with the PKK. If the
Turks restored the earlier TNIO offer, he thought the PKK
problem could be solved very quickly. He said the Turks
should be advised to allow Ocalan to be in touch with his key
deputies so that he could encourage them to accept a
political resolution. On Makhmur refugee camp, he said it
was not technically in Kurdistan, but in Mosul. It was a
UNHCR problem and received funding from the Swedes - we
should go talk to them. Talabani also said Barham Salih will
work on identifying a non-Kurdish Iraqi point of contact on
this issue.
KHALILZAD