IRAQ-TURKEY-U.S. SECURITY DIALOGUE WORKING GROUP

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 001345 E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2029 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR TU IZ SUBJECT: IRAQ-TURKEY-U.S. SECURITY DIALOGUE WORKING GROUP CONFRONTS PCDK PARTY DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS REF: BAGHDAD 1229 Classified By: POLMIL Minister Counselor Michael H. Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) The Iraq-Turkey-U.S. Security Dialogue Working Group reviewed the final details necessary to open the Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Office (TISO) in Erbil at a May 16 meeting in Baghdad. The GOI also provided intelligence about the Kurdish terrorist organization PKK. In addition, the Turkish delegation exhorted Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) representative General Delshad Othman to block persons associated with the PCDK party, the banned political arm of the PKK, from the July 25 KRG elections. (Delshad is part of the GOI delegation led by General Abdul Salam Foukeiki.) In response, RDML Lothrop Little, head of the USG delegation, proposed that the group seek guidance from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on prohibiting persons and parties from elections at the next Working Group meeting May ¶28. ¶2. (S) COMMENT: Despite delays related to GOI administrative shortcomings and bureaucratic resistance, we have noted progress toward opening the TISO since the last Trilat WG meeting on April 30 (reftel). We are optimistic that the TISO will open as planned May 24 and build on the early intelligence exchanges. (We have yet to evaluate the GOI intelligence provided at the May 16 meeting.) The PCDK effort to participate in the KRG elections is worrisome, however. We will work with the KRG and other parties to prevent this issue from interfering with the nascent intelligence partnership. HILL