TURKEY: PRUDENTIAL REVOCATION - OSMAN BAYDEMIR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002195 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA AND EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2017 TAGS: PHUM CVIS PGOV PTER TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: PRUDENTIAL REVOCATION - OSMAN BAYDEMIR REF: STATE 112624 Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4(b),(d) ¶1. (C) Post was informed via reftel of the prudential revocation of Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir's visa based on his membership in the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). In our subsequent dialogue with Department, we were told the basis for this revocation was another agency's judgment that DTP has links to the PKK terrorist organization. We understand there was no specific evidence relating to Baydemir himself; simply his membership in DTP resulted in the revocation decision. ¶2. (C) There may be additional information or evidence in this case of which Post is not aware. However, if the decision was based solely on one USG agency's judgment that DTP is an affiliate of or acronym for the PKK terrorist organization, we believe that reclama and additional review are justified. ¶3. (C) DTP is a legal Turkish political party, with 20 representatives recently elected to parliament and over 50 elected mayors. The party includes non-PKK supporters, as well as members sympathetic to the PKK but opposed to the PKK's violent tactics. DTP membership by itself is insufficient to demonstrate PKK affiliation or sympathy. As a result, we believe that DTP membership alone - absent other factors - is also an insufficient basis for revoking or denying a visa. ¶4. (C) Post emphatically and aggressively supports efforts to identify potential terrorists and prevent them from entering the U.S. We appreciate additional review of this prudential revocation decision, and of the current policy related to DTP members. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON