Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA2992
2007-12-17 18:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
PKK-LINKED ROJ-TV DOMINATES TURKEY-DENMARK CT
how-toVZCZCXYZ0008 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAK #2992/01 3511811 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 171811Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4704 INFO RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0254 RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU RHMFISS/425ABG IZMIR TU//CC// RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD IZ
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002992
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2027
TAGS: PTER PREL KTFN DA TU
SUBJECT: PKK-LINKED ROJ-TV DOMINATES TURKEY-DENMARK CT
TALKS, DENMARK REQUESTS "BETTER" EVIDENCE
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice Weiner. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002992
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2027
TAGS: PTER PREL KTFN DA TU
SUBJECT: PKK-LINKED ROJ-TV DOMINATES TURKEY-DENMARK CT
TALKS, DENMARK REQUESTS "BETTER" EVIDENCE
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice Weiner. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d).
1. (C) Summary. Denmark needs "better" evidence from the
Turks to successfully prosecute PKK-linked ROJ-TV, Danish U/S
Taksoe-Jensen told his Turkish counterparts during inaugural
Turkey-Denmark CT consultations on December 12. Given the
strict independence of Denmark's prosecutors, he suggested
exploring ways to facilitate informal contacts between their
respective prosecutorial offices. The two sides also
discussed additional ways to formalize CT cooperation. End
summary.
2. (C) As expected, ROJ-TV, the PKK-linked satellite
television network operating out of Denmark, dominated
inaugural Turkey-Denmark counterterrorism consultations in
Ankara on December 12, Danish Embassy DCM Soren Jacobsen told
Regional CT Coordinator on December 14. Ambassador Peter
Taksoe-Jensen, MFA Undersecretary for Legal Affairs headed
the Danish delegation which met for over four hours with
Rafet Akgunay, Deputy Undersecretary for General and
Multilateral Political Affairs, and for 35 minutes with
Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan. He also met with officials
responsible for bilateral relations, academics and local NGO
representatives, including those from Amnesty International
and Human Rights Watch.
3. (C) Discussion of ROJ-TV operations was heated, Jacobsen
related, with Turkey claiming it had provided ample evidence
to Denmark for more than five years with no resulting action
against the station. "It should be easy to close down," the
Turks insisted. Taksoe-Jensen repeated Danish explanations
that information provided to date was inadequate to support a
court case and asked for more "good" evidence. While noting
the strict independence of the Danish prosecutors' office, he
suggested the two sides explore options for informally
bringing Danish and Turkish prosecutors together to exchange
views. Denmark, he also reminded, had pushed successfully to
get the PKK onto the EU's list of terrorist organizations
when it held the Presidency in 2002. He noted it would
become more difficult for suspected terrorists to acquire
visas after January 1, 2008, when the EU list and Schengen
list are harmonized.
4. (C) Taksoe-Jansen explained to his interlocutors that
Danish police are conducting their own investigation into
possible criminal offenses by ROJ-TV and that MFA cannot and
will not interfere. Separately, Danish broadcast authorities
are looking into possible regulatory violations by ROJ. In
the context of the ROJ-TV discussion, the Danes suggested
Turkey expand domestic Kurdish-language broadcasting to
reduce ROJ-TV's appeal. Deputy Undersecretary Akgunay
improbably asserted that, in fact, few regular Kurds watch
ROJ; PKK leaders watch it in search of "secret signals."
(NOTE: Numerous GOT officials have admitted privately to us
the need for Turkey to increase the level of Kurdish-language
broadcasting.)
5. (C) The Turks asked Denmark to conclude a bilateral
anti-terrorism agreement similar to the one it recently
concluded with Iraq, Jacobsen reported. Denmark suggested a
MOU to enhance counterterrorism cooperation. According to
Jacobsen, the initial bilateral CT dialog achieved its modest
goals of inaugurating a formal dialogue on counterterrorism
and demonstrating to the Turks at a high level that Denmark
is aware of the PKK problem and is taking action to address
it. Both sides agreed to continue the high-level CT exchange
in 2008.
6. (C) Comment. Absent stronger Turkish evidence on PKK
links to ROJ-TV, meaningful Danish legal action against
ROJ-TV will have to depend largely on evidence developed by
the Danes. As part of an effort to strengthen Turkish
evidence, Danish Embassy contacts expressed interest in
receiving help to facilitate the proposed informal contacts
between Turkish and Danish prosecutors. We will work with
our Resident Legal Advisor, who has considerable experience
in this area, to explore possible avenues of assistance.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2027
TAGS: PTER PREL KTFN DA TU
SUBJECT: PKK-LINKED ROJ-TV DOMINATES TURKEY-DENMARK CT
TALKS, DENMARK REQUESTS "BETTER" EVIDENCE
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice Weiner. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d).
1. (C) Summary. Denmark needs "better" evidence from the
Turks to successfully prosecute PKK-linked ROJ-TV, Danish U/S
Taksoe-Jensen told his Turkish counterparts during inaugural
Turkey-Denmark CT consultations on December 12. Given the
strict independence of Denmark's prosecutors, he suggested
exploring ways to facilitate informal contacts between their
respective prosecutorial offices. The two sides also
discussed additional ways to formalize CT cooperation. End
summary.
2. (C) As expected, ROJ-TV, the PKK-linked satellite
television network operating out of Denmark, dominated
inaugural Turkey-Denmark counterterrorism consultations in
Ankara on December 12, Danish Embassy DCM Soren Jacobsen told
Regional CT Coordinator on December 14. Ambassador Peter
Taksoe-Jensen, MFA Undersecretary for Legal Affairs headed
the Danish delegation which met for over four hours with
Rafet Akgunay, Deputy Undersecretary for General and
Multilateral Political Affairs, and for 35 minutes with
Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan. He also met with officials
responsible for bilateral relations, academics and local NGO
representatives, including those from Amnesty International
and Human Rights Watch.
3. (C) Discussion of ROJ-TV operations was heated, Jacobsen
related, with Turkey claiming it had provided ample evidence
to Denmark for more than five years with no resulting action
against the station. "It should be easy to close down," the
Turks insisted. Taksoe-Jensen repeated Danish explanations
that information provided to date was inadequate to support a
court case and asked for more "good" evidence. While noting
the strict independence of the Danish prosecutors' office, he
suggested the two sides explore options for informally
bringing Danish and Turkish prosecutors together to exchange
views. Denmark, he also reminded, had pushed successfully to
get the PKK onto the EU's list of terrorist organizations
when it held the Presidency in 2002. He noted it would
become more difficult for suspected terrorists to acquire
visas after January 1, 2008, when the EU list and Schengen
list are harmonized.
4. (C) Taksoe-Jansen explained to his interlocutors that
Danish police are conducting their own investigation into
possible criminal offenses by ROJ-TV and that MFA cannot and
will not interfere. Separately, Danish broadcast authorities
are looking into possible regulatory violations by ROJ. In
the context of the ROJ-TV discussion, the Danes suggested
Turkey expand domestic Kurdish-language broadcasting to
reduce ROJ-TV's appeal. Deputy Undersecretary Akgunay
improbably asserted that, in fact, few regular Kurds watch
ROJ; PKK leaders watch it in search of "secret signals."
(NOTE: Numerous GOT officials have admitted privately to us
the need for Turkey to increase the level of Kurdish-language
broadcasting.)
5. (C) The Turks asked Denmark to conclude a bilateral
anti-terrorism agreement similar to the one it recently
concluded with Iraq, Jacobsen reported. Denmark suggested a
MOU to enhance counterterrorism cooperation. According to
Jacobsen, the initial bilateral CT dialog achieved its modest
goals of inaugurating a formal dialogue on counterterrorism
and demonstrating to the Turks at a high level that Denmark
is aware of the PKK problem and is taking action to address
it. Both sides agreed to continue the high-level CT exchange
in 2008.
6. (C) Comment. Absent stronger Turkish evidence on PKK
links to ROJ-TV, meaningful Danish legal action against
ROJ-TV will have to depend largely on evidence developed by
the Danes. As part of an effort to strengthen Turkish
evidence, Danish Embassy contacts expressed interest in
receiving help to facilitate the proposed informal contacts
between Turkish and Danish prosecutors. We will work with
our Resident Legal Advisor, who has considerable experience
in this area, to explore possible avenues of assistance.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON