POLCOUNS, TURKISH DCM AUGUST 2 MEETING WITH IRAQI

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002580 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER IZ TU SUBJECT: POLCOUNS, TURKISH DCM AUGUST 2 MEETING WITH IRAQI ENVOY WA'ILI REF: A. BAGHDAD 22544 ¶B. BAGHDAD 2419 ¶C. 30 JULY 2007 HUNT/BLAHA E-MAIL Classified By: Political Counselor Matthew Tueller, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Following up on a July 16 meeting (ref B),Iraqi State Minister Shirwan Wa'ili, Iraq's envoy to the trilateral process for combating the PKK, convoked PolCouns and Turkish DCM Yazal for an August 2 meeting. Per ref C, PolCouns informed Wa'ili that U.S. envoy Ralston thought that conditions were not right for an August meeting of the three envoys. A successful envoys meeting required more preparation in the form of concrete GOI steps against the PKK. PolCouns told Wa'ili that PM Maliki's upcoming visit to Turkey would be an opportunity to take such steps. ¶2. (C) Turkish DCM Yazal agreed with PolCouns. Yazal reiterated that Turkey hopes for a GOI declaration of the PKK as a terrorist organization approved by the Council of Representatives; conclusion of a bilateral agreement on countering terrorism; closure of PKK camps in northern Iraq, starting with a camp on the Zap River; and arrest of PKK leaders in northern Iraq. Yazal said the GOT is inclined to continue embassy-level meetings in Baghdad, but wants to avoid raising public expectations with a trilateral envoys meeting until the GOI took some steps. ¶3. (C) Wa'ili asked who would arrest PKK leaders. He said he would raise the matter in the GOI's August 5 Ministerial Council on National Security (MCNS) meeting. Wa'ili told Yazal he wants to meet with Turkish envoy Akgunay soon, possibly before PM Maliki arrives on August 7. (Note: PM Maliki told Ambassador on August 3 the trip would be postponed. End Note). ¶4. (C) Yazal gave Wa'ili a list of open PKK offices in Iraq and requested they be closed. Embassy e-mailed the list to the Department and Embassy Ankara. CROCKER