IRAQ-TURKEY-U.S. TRILATERAL SECURITY DIALOGUE: ONE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 001229 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2029 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARRIZ TU SUBJECT: IRAQ-TURKEY-U.S. TRILATERAL SECURITY DIALOGUE: ONE STEP CLOSER TO ERBIL INTELLIGENCE LIAISON OFFICE REF: BAGHDAD 1018 Classified By: POL-MIL Minister Counselor Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: On April 30, the Iraq-Turkey-U.S. Trilateral Working Group (WG) discussed the final plans for opening the Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Office (TISO) at Camp Zaytun, Erbil with a planned inauguration date of May ¶24. MNF-I Future Operations representative CDR Hesser provided an overview of the sources for U.S. funding. MG Delshad, KRG representative to the WG, asserted his belief that PKK terrorists would seek to capture personnel assigned to the intel office and asked that neither American nor Turkish officers in Erbil should leave Camp Zaytun without notifying him. MG Delshad stated that he will be responsible for the care and security for TISO personnel. Contrary to expectations, and possibly due to poor staff work rather than by design, the Iraqis did not pass intelligence reports to the Turks - somewhat to the consternation of the Turkish delegation. The GOI promised to supply information that had been properly vetted and "cross-referenced" within days of the meeting, yet as of May 10, the promised intel has not yet been made available. The Working Group discussed upcoming travel to Ankara for an expanded Subcommittee meeting on May ¶26. End Summary. ¶2. (S) At the April 30 meeting of the Iraq-Turkey-U.S. Trilateral Working Group (WG),all parties agreed to open the Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Office (TISO) at Erbil by May ¶24. Turkish DATT COL Ozen said the "first aim of the Working Group should be to start the office operating as soon as possible." Rear Admiral Little briefed the WG on his April 21 visit to Camp Zaytun in Erbil, where the office will be located. RDML Little had met with MG Delshad Othman, KRG rep on the GOI delegation to the Trilateral process. Delshad showed RDML Little the location of the containerized housing unit (CHU) where the office will be located and the two CHUs where the Turkish and American liaison officers will live, as well as the dining facility and gymnasium available for their use. Delshad said that because PKK terrorists would ardently desire an opportunity to kidnap a liaison officer, Turkish and U.S. officers should notify him when leaving Camp Zaytun, adding that he will be responsible for the care and security for the Trilat Liaison cell personnel. (Note: Delshad did not suggest that he had any specific intelligence to support this analytic judgment. End note.) ¶3. (S) RDML Little reported that the U.S. will provide eight laptop computers, an internet connection, living quarters furnishings, office furnishings and supplies, satellite television, and an armored vehicle. RDML Little advised that the U.S. will conduct secure communications through the use of secure Iridium phones. The U.S. intends to post two intelligence officers and one intel analyst at the cell, and provided those names to the Turkish and Iraqi delegations. GOI and GOT officials promised to provide their names. ¶4. (S) RDML Little told the Working Group the U.S. is still working on arrangements for contributing the U.S. share of funding to the GOI Trilat Committee for expenses and upkeep of GOI Trilat Committee offices in Baghdad. RDML Little made clear, however, that the (GOI) Committee Secretary would need to provide greater detail for the GOI funding request for MNF-I to be able to complete processing. (NOTE: The USG will QMNF-I to be able to complete processing. (NOTE: The USG will provide the GoI's one-third share of the budget through the use of MNSTC-I's Iraqi Security Force Funds (ISFF). U.S. expenses will be paid by MNC-I out of Operating and Maintenance Army (OMA) funds. Turkey will reimburse the U.S. for their share. End note.) ¶5. (S) At a planning meeting two days before the WG meeting, the GOI assured the U.S. and the GoT that it would provide additional intelligence against the PKK at the WG meeting. However, when the Iraqi chair (filling in for the Committee's regular chairman, General Foukeiki, who was said to be away on vacation),offered to pass the intelligence memorandum, he was stopped by the representative from the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS),who said the information about PKK camp locations in Northern Iraq still needed to be cleared by the Department of Border Enforcement. The GOI promised to supply information that had been properly vetted and "cross-referenced" within days of the meeting, or by the next WG at the latest. (COMMENT: We believe the GOI failure to provide intelligence may have resulted from confused staff work rather than a policy decision - in addition to Gen. Foukeiki's absence, the two MSNSA staffers who prepare and attend the WG meetings were both out of the country, which may have caused confusion over BAGHDAD 00001229 002 OF 002 vetting the intelligence. We note, however, that as of May 10, the GOI had still failed to provide the promised intel. End comment.) The GoI asked the Turks to provide information about the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) as well as unspecified armed groups in Turkish territory. The Turks agreed to do so. ¶6. (C) The WG also discussed the itinerary and attendees for the upcoming expanded Subcommittee meeting in Ankara, scheduled for May 26. The next WG meeting will be held on May 16 in Baghdad. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: With the identification of funding sources for the U.S. and GOI shares of the Trilat Intel Sharing office in Erbil - and assurance that the Turks will pay their share - we expect the office will open by May 24 as agreed. BUTENIS