KEY TURKISH OFFICIAL ON TURKISH-IRAQI KURD CONTACTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000560 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2022 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER TU IZ SUBJECT: KEY TURKISH OFFICIAL ON TURKISH-IRAQI KURD CONTACTS REF: ANKARA 465 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Wilson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Turkish FM/PM foreign affairs advisor Ahmet Davutoglu told Ambassador and EUR DAS Bryza March 8 that contacts with the Iraqi Kurdish leadership will go forward, but probably not before late-spring or summer. As the initiator of Turkey's current effort at dialogue with the Iraqi Kurds beginning late last year, Davutoglu regretted that the FM Gul/Nechirvan Barzani meeting he hoped would occur in early or mid-February had not come off due to scheduling constraints on the Turkish side. ¶2. (C) Two subsequent events soured the atmosphere, Davutoglu indicated. One was a flap here over a gross mischaracterization by Deputy Opposition leader Onur Oymen on the government's stance vis-a-vis northern Iraq based on things former US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke told him at Wehrkunde about his discussions with Erdogan and KRG President Barzani. Worse were remarks by KRG President Barzani to Turkish NTV in which he declared that Turkey and the world should just get used to an independent Kurdistan that, Barzani suggested, encompasses some 40 million Kurds in Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Syria. These created an impossible public mood, and the government could not go ahead with a high profile meeting now. ¶3. (C) PM Erdogan is nevertheless determined to go ahead with dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdish leadership. A Turkish National Security Council meeting on Feb. 23 thoroughly debated the issue, and authorization for such contacts on a political/diplomatic track resulted (see reftel). Davutoglu said that lower level contacts will have to suffice for the time being, but that by late-spring/summer a higher level meeting should be possible -- if there are good moves by the Iraqi Kurdish side. Such a move would be a clear Iraqi Kurdish statement that they are against terror and terrorism (e.g., the PKK). ¶4. (C) In this discussion and in contacts earlier in the week with Davutoglu, Ambassador urged that Turkey reach out to and keep a channel open with the Iraqi Kurds. This will be a central element for managing the complicated PKK problem and will ensure that Ankara has the relationships it needs to be effectively engaged in support of Iraqi reconciliation and progress. Davutoglu agreed, but said the political climate, especially after Barzani's NTV remarks and given the presidential election due here in only five weeks, requires that matters proceed slowly now. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON