GOT OFFICIALS STRESS UNITY, RECORD NUMBERS MARCH

S E C R E T ANKARA 002670

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV TU IZ US
SUBJECT: GOT OFFICIALS STRESS UNITY, RECORD NUMBERS MARCH
ON REPUBLIC DAY

REF: A. ANKARA 2662 (NOTAL)


B. ANKARA 2658

Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY: As senior GOT officials stressed national
unity on the 84th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish
Republic, Turks marched in record numbers in cities across
the country to commemorate the holiday and to protest PKK
terrorism. Turkish officials publicly characterized October
26 GOT-GOI talks concerning the PKK as civil but
unsatisfactory. Meanwhile, anti-PKK operations continue
throughout SE Turkey, with tens of terrorists reported killed
over the three-day weekend, along with three soldiers. Press
reports over the weekend alleged that the eight soldiers
abducted by the PKK on October 21 would be released within a
few days, but we have no confirmation that a release has
occurred or is imminent. Behind-the-scenes efforts continue
to gain their release. Approximately 500 people demonstrated
peacefully in front of the Embassy on October 27. END SUMMARY

GOT LEADERS STRESS UNITY; PLEDGE TO CONTINUE FIGHT AGAINST
TERROR
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2. (U) President Gul, PM Erdogan, Parliamentary Speaker
Toptan, and Turkish General Staff Chief of Staff General
Buyukanit all released statements to mark Turkey's Republic
Day October 29. Gul stressed that Turkey should preserve its
unity and togetherness to overcome hurdles, as it did during
its war of independence. He described Turkey as a leading
actor in the regional arena, seeking friendship and looking
for solutions. He also stressed that Turkey draws great
strength from its diversity. PM Erdogan emphasized the
importance of maintaining a secure and stable environment in
Turkey, and of the country's unity and integrity. He
underscored that the basic founding values of the Republic --
including secularism -- are beyond dispute.


3. (U) Toptan said it is the duty of each and every Turk to
work for a more democratic Turkey without making concessions
to the country's unity and integrity. He expressed regret
that some countries encourage terrorism and reiterated that
Turkey will not surrender to terrorism. Defense Chief GEN
Yasar Buyukanit decried recent PKK attacks as threats to
Turkey's national structure and said they had served to
reinforce Turkey's determination to fight back. He pledged
that the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) will make those
responsible for the recent terrorist attacks "suffer pain on
a scale they cannot imagine." No one should doubt,
Buyukanit said, that the TAF will continue this battle until
the terrorists are neutralized.

GOT-GOI TALKS -- ACTION NEEDED, NOT MORE DIALOGUE
-------------- --------------


4. (SBU) GOT officials characterized October 26 talks between
Turkish and Iraqi delegations as a friendly exchange, but
stressed that Turkey requires action by Government of Iraq
and Kurdish Regional Government authorities, not more
dialogue. Turkish press reported the talks collapsed when
Iraqi DefMin. Jassim said his government has no information
regarding the location of PKK camps in northern Iraq and
asked Turkey for more time to find them. FM Babacan
reportedly responded harshly to Jassim, noting that Turkey
had already submitted to Iraq photos of PKK camps there,
noting that international journalists seem to have no
difficulty finding where PKK leaders are based. Turkish MFA
spokesperson Levent Bilman said that Turkey was looking
forward to urgent steps by Iraq against the PKK, and that the
proposals made by GOI officials in the meeting would require
an unacceptably long time to produce results.



TURKISH PUBLIC MARCHES...OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR REPUBLIC,
IN OPPOSITION TO TERROR
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5. (U) Millions of Turks took to the streets over the
weekend, both to commemorate the October 29 national day and
protest against the PKK and continued terrorist attacks.
Record numbers of people used the opportunity to make their
voices heard. Hundreds of thousands of marchers participated
in an annual torchlight procession on the evening of October
29 in Ankara that culminates at Ataturk's Mausoleum
(Anitkabir). 427,124 visitors were registered visiting
Anitkabir during the day, compared to about 68,000 on the
same day last year. About 200,000 marched in Samsun on the
Black Sea coast, chanting slogans against the PKK. Some
30,000 attended a rally in Adapazari, one hour east of
Istanbul, chanting slogans such as "Martyrs won't die and the
motherland will not be divided," and "Turks and Kurds are
brothers and the PKK is a traitor." Thousands attended
anti-PKK rallies on October 27 and 28 as well. Around 5,000
gathered in Izmit, with three people, including one child,
injured when a sound bomb exploded. 30,000 attended a rally
in Bursa, another 30,000 in Kastamonu, 5,000 in Erzincan, and
10,000 in Van.

COUNTER INSURGENCY OPERATIONS CONTINUE
--------------


6. (SBU) Counter insurgency operations continued throughout
southeastern Turkey over the weekend. All media report a
major security force operation in Tunceli province, hundreds
of kilometers northwest of the Turkey-Iraq border, with as
many as 8,000 troops involved. The operation was undertaken
based on radio intercepts indicating the PKK was planning to
carry out activities to disrupt Republic Day celebrations.
Terrain in Tunceli and neighboring Erzincan provinces is
particularly difficult; the area has been used for years as a
hideout for a variety of terrorist groups, including the PKK.
TGS sources claim at least 20 terrorists were killed in the
operation, with one soldier killed by a landmine.


7. (SBU) Turkish armed forces reportedly bombed PKK hideouts
in the Cudi and Gabar mountains near the Turkey-Iraq border.
Media report that Turkish troops also have trapped a group of
150 PKK terrorists on Ikiyaka Mountain near the border and
are continuing operations against them. Two more soldiers
were reported killed in these clashes. TGS claims the number
of PKK militants killed in the last eight days has now
reached 79.


8. (S/NF) Behind-the-scenes efforts continue to gain the
release of eight Turkish soldiers abducted by the PKK on
October 21. Press reports that the hostages had been
released over the weekend, or would be in the coming day or
two, could not be confirmed.

SLOWDOWN AT TURKEY-IRAQ BORDER NOT SEEN...YET
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9. (SBU) Contrary to local media reports of commercial truck
traffic slowdowns at the Habur Gate border crossing into
Iraq, the latest reporting shows no change in the number of
commercial vehicles crossing into Iraq. Approximately 800
trucks per day passed through the Habur customs complex into
Iraq in recent days, a figure that has remained consistent
over the past month. Daily figures for the 24-hour period
ending October 29 are 767 trucks entering Iraq and 995 empty
vehicles returning from Iraq to Turkey. The number of trucks
returning to Turkey has averaged 834 per day in October. The
backlog of trucks waiting to cross into Iraq has remained

around 1,700, while the back-up of vehicles returning to
Turkey grew from 4,800 on October 27 to about 7,100 on
October 29.

DEMONSTRATORS PROTEST PEACEFULLY AT EMBASSY
--------------


10. (SBU) Approximately 500 demonstrators protested
peacefully in front of the embassy October 27. Police kept
the demonstrators well back from the perimeter of the
compound. Turkish National Police (TNP) continue to provide
supplemental security support at all mission facilities.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON