TURKISH DCM IN BAGHDAD ON TURKEY/IRAQ/PKK

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 002544 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER IZ TU SUBJECT: TURKISH DCM IN BAGHDAD ON TURKEY/IRAQ/PKK REF: A. ANKARA 1959 ¶B. BAGHDAD 2419 Classified By: Political Counselor Matthew Tueller, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary: On July 31, Turkish DCM Ahmet Yazal said Turkey is not opposed to embassy-level meetings on the PKK with Iraqi State Minister Shirwan Wa'ili, Iraq's envoy to the trilateral process for combating the PKK. However, the GOT does not consider such meetings a substitute for trilateral meetings. Turkey wants deliverables before agreeing to a trilateral meeting and will not speak to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials as part of the trilateral process. The PKK, deliverables, and a possible security cooperation agreement will be the GOT's main points during PM Maliki's upcoming visit to Ankara. End Summary. GOT Wants Deliverables Before Trilateral Meeting -------------- --- ¶2. (S) Yazal said, upon instructions from Ankara, Turkey is not opposed to meeting in Baghdad on PKK issues as Wa'ili proposed on July 16 (ref B),but that such meetings should not replace trilateral meetings between envoys. Yazal added that Turkey would "need something in hand" -- i.e., a deliverable -- before agreeing to a trilateral meeting. Yazal said GOT officials would discuss possible deliverables with PM Maliki during his upcoming visit to Ankara. Upcoming PM Maliki Visit -------------- ¶3. (C) According to Yazal, the PKK will be the GOT's main focus during PM Maliki's visit. The GOT hopes to use the visit to gain agreement in principle on a bilateral security cooperation agreement. The GOT has sent a draft agreement to the GOI and has received the GOI's comments back. Yazal said Iraqi National Security Adviser Rubaie, accompanied by intelligence officials, would visit Turkey after the PM; he speculated that the agreement could be finalized during that visit. No Talks With KRG -------------- ¶4. (S) Yazal also remained firm that Turkey would not agree to talk to KRG Interior Minister Sinjari as part of the trilateral process because it would look too much like negotiating with the PKK. Yazal rejected the idea of talks with KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani for the same reason, although he held open the possibility of a future meeting with him if it were kept quiet and low-key. ¶5. (C) Deputy PolCouns told Yazal that the Embassy has consistently pressed KRG President Barzani to do more on the PKK. Deputy PolCouns suggested that both our embassies present Minister Wa'ili a list of PKK offices open in Iraq and ask Wa'ili to fulfill his promise to close them. Yazal agreed and said he would compile a list of open offices to present to Wa'ili. ¶6. (C) Yazal gave Deputy PolCouns a copy of a 19 July diplomatic note Turkey had given to the GOI demanding the provisional arrest of fugitive PKK financier Riza Altun; post e-mailed a copy to the Department and Embassy Ankara. CROCKER