BARZANI CONDEMNS TURKISH ATTACKS INSIDE KRG,

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002422 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2017 TAGS: PREL TU IZ SUBJECT: BARZANI CONDEMNS TURKISH ATTACKS INSIDE KRG, AGREES TO REMAIN QUIET UNLESS ATTACKS CONTINUE BAGHDAD 00002422 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Ryan Crocker for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary: A highly agitated Masood Barzani told the Ambassador on the evening of July 18 that Turkish strikes earlier that day were provocative and if continued would generate an armed Kurdish response. The Ambassador responded that both the Turkish and Kurdish regional governments need to avoid escalating at this sensitive moment. We recommend that this message be reiterated to the Turkish government again. Eventually, the Turkish government will have to talk directly to the Kurdistan Regional Government and we should encourage then to do that. End Summary. -------------- BARZANI SAYS TURKISH STRIKE PROVOCATIVE -------------- ¶2. (S) Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Masood Barzani claimed to the Ambassador on the evening of July 18 in Salahadin that earlier that morning Turkey had launched air strikes deep inside Kurdistan. The raids struck villages along the Turkish-Iraqi border from near Zakho in Dahuk province all the way to the Iranian border. The area around Bewar, he said, was heaviest hit. Barzani, visibly agitated, asserted that this attack was especially provocative because Turkey used aircraft and bombed up to 30 kilometers inside the border. He said if Turkey attacked again the KRG would respond, perhaps by attacking Turkish units stationed within the KRG. -------------- BARZANI WILLING TO TALK - BUT DISTRUSTFUL -------------- ¶3. (S) The Ambassador responded that the PKK is a terrorist organization and the GOI and the KRG were not confronting them or controlling them. Barzani denied that the KRG provided any assistance to the PKK or that the PKK was crossing into Turkey to carry out terrorist acts. He claimed small PKK elements are located in the mountains near the Iranian border but they are inactive. He claimed that the Turks were just looking for an excuse to put down the Kurds. (Barzani spoke passionately about historical and recent grievances against the Turks.) Barzani added that the Turks refuse to talk to the KRG. According to Barzani, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan once claimed he would not talk to Barzani because Barzani is a mere tribal chief. The Turks need to change their attitude, Barzani concluded. ¶4. (S) The Ambassador admonished Barzani for having impeded an effort to secure a GOI statement labeling the PKK as a terrorist organization. He said the USG cannot defend the KRG stance on this issue since the USG strongly views the PKK as a terrorist organization. Barzani replied that he would not condemn the PKK as a terrorist organization while under threat of attack from Turkey, and threatened he would withdraw from the Iraqi government if it made such a statement under current circumstances. He repeatedly asked if the Turkish operation had been given a green light from the USG. The Ambassador said it had not, that he resented such an allegation from such a close ally, and that the USG was urging both the Turks and the Kurds to de-escalate the tensions along the border. The Ambassador reminded Barzani that sensitivities are especially great in the run-up to the Turkish elections. The KRG, he noted, has a huge interest in ensuring that the situation does not spiral downward. Barzani agreed not to issue any statements on this incident in order to avoid a provocation, but reiterated that, should the attacks continue he would respond. ¶5. (S) Barzani gave the Ambassador a letter to President Bush dated July 10 highlighting Turkish intervention in the Kurdistan region and urging the President to personally pressure Turkey to stop its "military adventure" and violations of Iraq's sovereignty (full text septel). The letter reviews Barzani's thinking much along the lines above. Barzani was adamant then the PKK is not now launching operations against Turkey from Iraqi soil. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's chief of staff Kamran Karadaghi told us late July 19 that Barzani thinks he has a deal with the PKK whereby the PKK will alert Barzani ahead of time to any planned operation that might embarrass the KRG. -------------- THE WAY FORWARD WITH BARZANI -------------- ¶6. (S) We are at the point where Turkish action and possible Kurdish reactions risk a major explosion in Iraq at a time when we can least afford it. The Ambassador drove home the point to Barzani about not escalating tensions further along the border, and the same message has to go to the Turks now. Looking beyond the Turkish elections, the reality on the ground is that the Iraqi Government in Baghdad has little day-to-day control over security operations inside the KRG. Turkey therefore must talk to the KRG directly about alleged PKK operations inside KRG territory. Finally, if we are to convince Barzani that he has to do more to stop PKK activities inside the KRG, we need to present convincing, specific evidence about PKK activities in the KRG. Our repeated, non-specific exhortations to Barzani to do more are becoming counterproductive. This evidence cannot be only information developed by the Turks; it needs to be carefully vetted before we present it or we will lose credibility with Barzani. CROCKER