TURKEY GENERALLY SUPPORTS NEW IRAQ STRATEGY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000067 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2022 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKEY GENERALLY SUPPORTS NEW IRAQ STRATEGY REF: STATE 3592 Classified By: Ambassador Wilson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Turkey supports the USG's new Iraq strategy, MFA Undersecretary Apakan told the Ambassador Jan. 12. Turkey still attaches significant importance to the Kirkuk and PKK issues, and will seek continued consultations on these in the weeks ahead. End summary. ¶2. (C) Ambassador called on MFA Undersecretary (D-equivalent) Apakan on Jan. 12, chiefly to discuss Iraq and the Armenian genocide resolution issue (reported septel). Ambassador opened by briefing Apakan in general terms on issues cited as high USG priorities by the Secretary and others at the Jan. 3-5 EUR COM conference. He identified Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Israel-Palestine, Afghanistan, India-Pakistan, and Kosovo's future status as all being important for Turkey and requiring close consultation and partnership throughout the year. ¶3. (C) Elaborating on the President's Jan. 10 speech and reftel points on Iraq, Ambassador emphasized that failure is not an option. Our strategy is not just about more troops; the point is not only to defeat insurgents and death squads where they are, but for U.S. and Iraqi forces to hold the territory for the sake of the security of the populace. A better security environment, coupled with economic and other measures the President announced, will give the Iraqis more space to develop a moderate bloc that can make the GOI more effective and accountable to the Iraqi people. ¶4. (C) Apakan responded that Turkey supports the President's strategy. He noted that the MFA released a strong statement of support on Jan. 11 (full text para. 8),and that we should not be concerned about some negative coverage in the Turkish press. The GOT shares our view that failure in Iraq is not an option: the negative consequences for the Iraqi people, for the region, and for the U.S. would be unacceptable. He pledged that Turkey will continue to consult closely with us. ¶5. (C) Apakan underscored the importance of the USG's continued strong support for a unified, independent Iraq. However, Turkey has special concerns about the future status of Kirkuk and of the Iraqi Turkoman community. He hoped that we would spell out our position on these issues further. Apakan expressed concern about statements attributed to Amb. Khalilzad by the Iraqi Kurdish press to the effect that Turkey had no right to comment on Kirkuk. Apakan emphasized that Turkey had no intent to interfere in Iraq's internal affairs, but is concerned that the Kirkuk problem had the potential to create further instability and violence. Ambassador responded that the upcoming visit to Ankara of Under Secretary Burns (Jan. 18-19) and to Washington of the GOT's Special Envoy for Iraq Celikkol (Jan. 23-25) (and, probably in February, FonMin Gul) will provide opportunities for these discussions. In general terms, the USG believes that the status of Kirkuk is for the Iraqi people to sort out under the constitution and in the spirit of reconciliation. ¶6. (C) Apakan emphasized the importance the GOT places on the PKK issue, and noted the reference to it in the President's remarks. He added that the GOT continues to support the Ralston-Baser initiative. He referred to Ralston and Baser's Dec. 11 meeting in Stuttgart, at which Baser said Turkey would submit to Ralston a list of concrete actions on the PKK's presence in northern Iraq. Apakan reported that the Turkish Embassy in Washington passed this paper to the Department on Jan. 10. ¶7. (C) Apakan cited Ralston's statements that the USG does not talk to the PKK, and asked about a Firat News Agency (PKK-affiliated press) story which claimed that three U.S. military personnel recently met with representatives of the PKK-front Kurdistan Democratic Solutions Party in Kirkuk. Ambassador confirmed that it is U.S. policy not to talk to the PKK or its affiliates, and that we are looking into the story. Ralston plans to visit Turkey in late January, and Washington is well aware of Turkey's views regarding the PKK. ANKARA 00000067 002 OF 002 Discussions in Washington regarding possible steps are ongoing. ¶8. (U) Full text of MFA's Jan. 11 press release on the President's Iraq strategy (informal embassy translation): BEGIN TEXT The new Iraq strategy of the United States, which has been awaited for some time, was disclosed by President Bush. It is understood that primarily the plan contains elements to provide security in Baghdad, foresees an increase of forces in the short run, and clarifies the USG's expectations of the Iraqi government. From the beginning, Turkey has emphasized that establishment of security and stability in Iraq has significant importance for the future of Iraq, and supported the view that efforts to establish security in Iraq should be pursued without disturbing sectarian and ethnic balances and in a way so that discrimination will be eliminated and the integrity of the country would not be endangered. From this aspect, Turkey welcomes and supports all measures that would be taken in the right direction in order to stop incidents of violence and establish security and stability in the country, including Baghdad. Moreover, the steps that President Bush mentioned that the Iraqi government should be taking -- passage of an oil law that would enable sharing of petroleum revenues by all Iraqis and amendment of the constitution -- represent constructive proposals regarding the agenda of Iraq in the coming period. The view stated in President Bush's speech -- that success in Iraq depends on preserving the territorial integrity of the country and stability of the region -- is a view that Turkey has long been emphasizing. His mention that the U.S. will work together with Turkey and Iraq against the PKK's presence in Iraq and the statement made by the White House in relation to the speech bear importance. Turkey will continue supporting measures to reduce violence and tension, re-establish security in Baghdad and in other provinces of the country in order to stop acts of violence, and help Iraq attain prosperity and stability through the preservation of its territorial integrity. Turkey will also continue to support issues to which it attaches importance, such as protection of the rights of the Iraqi Turkoman community and solving the Kirkuk problem through compromise among all groups living there. Turkey believes that peace and stability in Iraq is of vital importance to the whole region; it will continue constructive dialogue and cooperation with the U.S. on all of these issues. END TEXT Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON