Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA701
2007-03-28 07:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS AGAINST GOT
how-toVZCZCXRO7269 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #0701 0870714 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 280714Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1489 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0288 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0987 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0047 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0112 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000701
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV AF IT TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS AGAINST GOT
POLICY
REF: STATE 36204
Classified By: PolCouns Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
(C) We made reftel points on the release of Taliban prisoners
to Turkish MFA Deputy Director General Sakir Torunlar on
March 27. Torunlar stated unequivocally that GOT policy,
whether at home or abroad, is not to negotiate with
terrorists. This has been long-standing GOT policy across
administrations. In Afghanistan, the release of the Taliban
potentially puts ISAF troops at risk, including Turkey's. In
addition to the USG concerns we outlined, Torunlar raised the
specter of possible copycat actions by other terrorist
groups. Such an exchange, he stated, would never be on the
agenda in Turkey.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
MCELDOWNEY