MAKHMOUR REFUGEE CAMP: TURKS MULLING REACTION TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000280 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2018 TAGS: PREF PREL IZ TU SUBJECT: MAKHMOUR REFUGEE CAMP: TURKS MULLING REACTION TO GOI INVITATION TO RESUME TALKS REF: A. BAGHDAD 317 ¶B. ANKARA 158 Classified By: DCM Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary and Comment: GOT officials have received an invitation from the GOI to resume discussion of closing Makhmour refugee camp (ref a) and are considering their response. Any decision to move forward on Makhmour will be made at the political level in Ankara. The GOT wants the camp closed, but officials in Ankara remain concerned about the camp's security situation, the influence radical PKK elements retain over camp residents, and UNHCR's lack of full-time presence. GOI expressions of renewed commitment to make progress toward closure argues in favor of stepped up direct engagement. Given the highly political nature of the issue in Turkey and the level at which decisions surrounding closure of the camp and future resettlement of its residents will be made, Embassy Baghdad may wish to encourage FM Zebari to contact FM Babacan directly on the issue, and thus underscore Iraq's commitment to postive progress. End summary and comment. ¶2. (C) MFA Director General Hayati Guven told us the GOT has received the invitation conveyed by GOI MFA U/S Hamoud to Ambassador Kanbay in Baghdad regarding a resumption of talks among the GOI, GOT, and UNHCR on closing Makhmour refugee camp. Guven said the GOT is considering the invitation and its response. ¶3. (C) Guven reiterated GOT concerns expressed in the past, including regarding the security situation in Makhmour (ref b). In the GOT's view, circumstances at Makhmour have not changed since talks ended in April 2007, when the lack of security in and around the camp, undue influence by radical PKK elements over camp residents, and UNHCR's inability adequately to monitor activities inside the camp created a situation that, for the GOT, made the process surrounding possible closure of the camp untenable. ¶4. (C) Despite a cordon of Iraqi security forces around the camp, GOT officials cited to us occasions in which PKK members were able to depart the camp to rejoin PKK camps nearer the Turkey-Iraq border. According to the Turks, on one such occasion in December, PKK fighters anticipated possible ground incursions by Turkish troops after airstrikes commenced and sought to move closer to the border to contribute to efforts to attack Turkish security forces. Iraqi security forces around the camp initially refused passage, but following demonstrations inside the camp, eventually relented. The episode underscored for GOT officials the inability of GOI forces to adequately control access to and from the camp. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON