Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1155
2008-06-23 07:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: REPORTED FORCED DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN
how-toVZCZCXRO0754 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #1155 1750756 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 230756Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6643 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU//TCH// RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU RUEHAK/TSR ANKARA TU RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001155
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL IR IZ SY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: REPORTED FORCED DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN
REFUGEES
REF: STATE 46682
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 (b),(d
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001155
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL IR IZ SY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: REPORTED FORCED DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN
REFUGEES
REF: STATE 46682
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 (b),(d
)
1. (C) Post raised US concerns over reports of forced
repatriations by Turkey to Iraq per reftel at various levels
of the MFA. Ambassador has done so twice with MFA U/S
Ertugrul Apakan. Apakan was initially only slightly aware of
the incident from having to approve MFA press guidance and
said he would look further into the matter. In a subsequent
conversation Apakan said the facts reported to him were quite
different from those stated by UNHCR and the U.S. He
appreciated our concerns, but saw no reason to challenge his
own government's account.
2. (C) PolCouns expressed the USG's serious concern over
reports of forced repatriation that reportedly led to four
drownings (reftel),and requested the GOT's cooperation in
bringing to light the facts in a May 25 meeting with Melih
Ulueren, MFA Deputy Director General for Asylum and Illegal
Migration. Ulueren flatly denied the claims in UNHCR's April
25 press release, and expressed deep frustration with the
international attention the press release attracted. Ulueren
stated that all the deportees were "illegal migrants," not
refugees. UNHCR unilaterally could not recognize persons as
refugees; to receive such status, migrants must report to and
receive a determination from Turkish authorities. Ulueren
maintained Turkish authorities handed over all persons to
Iraqi authorities. Turkish officials did not force anyone to
cross a dangerous river.
4. (C) Ulueren referred to an Interior Ministry memorandum,
which described Turkish authorities as having initially
detained a total of 77 persons in Edirne, heading toward the
Bulgarian border. Of those, 72 were Iraqis and 5 were
Iranian. Ulueren claimed Iraqi authorities accepted all 77
into Iraqi territory. He also said there were 10 additional
Palestinians (not Syrians, as UNHCR had stated); those
persons were not accepted by Iraq and were brought back to
Turkey, where they remain.
5. (C) Ulueren said the GOT had no information on the
specifics of how the people died or if they had died. He
suggested the most plausible scenario was that the deportees,
whom he described as determined to get to the West, may have
tried to re-enter Turkey and, in doing so, may have tried to
cross the river. He also insisted that, since no bodies ere
ever found, there may have been no drownings. Ulueren said
the GOT has no objective information on the alleged drownings
and would welcome any additional information to help run to
ground the truth of the matter.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL IR IZ SY TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: REPORTED FORCED DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN
REFUGEES
REF: STATE 46682
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 (b),(d
)
1. (C) Post raised US concerns over reports of forced
repatriations by Turkey to Iraq per reftel at various levels
of the MFA. Ambassador has done so twice with MFA U/S
Ertugrul Apakan. Apakan was initially only slightly aware of
the incident from having to approve MFA press guidance and
said he would look further into the matter. In a subsequent
conversation Apakan said the facts reported to him were quite
different from those stated by UNHCR and the U.S. He
appreciated our concerns, but saw no reason to challenge his
own government's account.
2. (C) PolCouns expressed the USG's serious concern over
reports of forced repatriation that reportedly led to four
drownings (reftel),and requested the GOT's cooperation in
bringing to light the facts in a May 25 meeting with Melih
Ulueren, MFA Deputy Director General for Asylum and Illegal
Migration. Ulueren flatly denied the claims in UNHCR's April
25 press release, and expressed deep frustration with the
international attention the press release attracted. Ulueren
stated that all the deportees were "illegal migrants," not
refugees. UNHCR unilaterally could not recognize persons as
refugees; to receive such status, migrants must report to and
receive a determination from Turkish authorities. Ulueren
maintained Turkish authorities handed over all persons to
Iraqi authorities. Turkish officials did not force anyone to
cross a dangerous river.
4. (C) Ulueren referred to an Interior Ministry memorandum,
which described Turkish authorities as having initially
detained a total of 77 persons in Edirne, heading toward the
Bulgarian border. Of those, 72 were Iraqis and 5 were
Iranian. Ulueren claimed Iraqi authorities accepted all 77
into Iraqi territory. He also said there were 10 additional
Palestinians (not Syrians, as UNHCR had stated); those
persons were not accepted by Iraq and were brought back to
Turkey, where they remain.
5. (C) Ulueren said the GOT had no information on the
specifics of how the people died or if they had died. He
suggested the most plausible scenario was that the deportees,
whom he described as determined to get to the West, may have
tried to re-enter Turkey and, in doing so, may have tried to
cross the river. He also insisted that, since no bodies ere
ever found, there may have been no drownings. Ulueren said
the GOT has no objective information on the alleged drownings
and would welcome any additional information to help run to
ground the truth of the matter.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey
WILSON