TURKISH-IRAQ-U.S. TRILATERAL SECURITY TALKS: SLOW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000150 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2019 TAGS: MARR PTER PREL PINR PRES TU IZ SUBJECT: TURKISH-IRAQ-U.S. TRILATERAL SECURITY TALKS: SLOW PROGRESS, LOWERING EXPECTATIONS REF: A. 08 BAGHDAD 3710 ¶B. BAGHDAD 3793 ¶C. BAGHDAD 3847 ¶D. BAGHDAD 4003 ¶E. ANKARA 00092 Classified By: Political-Military Minister-Counselor Michael Corbin for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Little progress was made at the Iraqi-Turkish-U.S. trilateral security talks, held at the intermediate subcommittee level on January 15. Turkish MG Ozturk made a brief presentation on the PKK in Northern Iraq, but most of the time was spent discussing modalities. All parties seem willing to continue the dialogue, with lowered expectations. Embassy and MNF-I will continue to encourage the Turks and Iraqis to use this forum for practical cooperation. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Following one Ministerial kickoff session (Ref A) and three working level meetings (Refs B-D),the Turkey-Iraq-U.S. trilateral security talks convened for the first time at the intermediate Subcommittee level on January ¶15. Iraqi Deputy Minister of State for National Security Affairs Tariq Baldawi co-chaired the Iraqi delegation, with KRG Major General Dalshad Najeeb continuing to represent Erbil. Turkish General Staff Deputy J3 (Operations) Major General Erdal Ozturk flew down with a large interagency delegation that included representatives from Interior and Foreign Affairs. MNF-I RDML Lothrop "Buzz" Little and Acting Pol-Mil Counselor led the U.S. team. ¶3. (C) As in previous sessions, little concrete information was exchanged. A formal presentation the Turks had promised to provide on the PKK presence in Northern Iraq did not materialize, but MG Ozturk did give a short, general overview of the PKK's locations, logistics, and political activities, of little operational value. MG Ozturk passed an intelligence template to the Iraqis to assist them in developing and sharing information in the future. Baldawi responded to the Turks not with an intel brief, but by declaring that the Iraqi Constitution states that it is illegal for terrorist groups to operate in or launch attacks from Iraq. Referring to media reports of Turkey's ongoing artillery and air cross-border operations, Baldawi asked the Turks to take under consideration their "shelling Iraqi border villages" suspected of being PKK hideouts, asserting four recent cases of civilian casualties. MG Ozturk calmly responded that the Turks take great care not to injure civilians and the media has been known to distort events. RDML Little suggested the GOI offer details of the alleged incidents in writing to facilitate a proper investigation. (Comment: We doubt Baldawi will do so; he appeared to be making a gallant gesture to the KRG. End comment.) ¶4. (C) The bulk of the session (two hours at the table, not counting lunch) was given over to continued discussion of modalities, such as the frequency and level at which the committee should meet, and U.S.-Turkish encouragement for the Iraqi secretariat to conform with previous promises to circulate draft minutes of meeting s. Echoing U.S. themes from earlier sessions, RDML Little emphasized that the U.S. del was there to support the Iraqi and Turkish participants in turning the committee into a practical venue for the exchange of information. The Turks and Iraqis agreed information sharing would begin in earnest at the next meeting. ¶5. (C) The only energetic exchange came when Ozturk stated Turkey's intention to roll ongoing intel liaison with the KDP QTurkey's intention to roll ongoing intel liaison with the KDP and PUK in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah into the trilat process, referring to an agreement made between Turkey's Interior Minister Besir Atalay and Iraqi Minister of State for National Security al-Waeli at the initial ministerial session. Baldawi seemed to have no knowledge of this agreement. Offline, Iraqi officials (including Baldawi) and Turkish officials (Ozturk and MFA Director General Inan Ozyildiz) told U.S. participants that they were satisfied with the progress to date and willing to continue the process, aiming for weekly working-level sessions and a monthly meeting t the Subcommittee level. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: Seen through American eyes, this session was an exercise in frustration. Yet to our surprise, neither side seemed perturbed. Notwithstanding the Turkish DCHOD,s understandable expression of disappointment about Iraqi unpreparedness (Ref E),our perception is that the Turks appear to have lowered their expectations of what can be accomplished through this forum and to have reconciled BAGHDAD 00000150 002 OF 002 themselves to - at best - a slow path toward practicality. Their goal increasingly appears to be merely to maintain political cover for their separate contacts with the KRG. The Iraqi participants seem similarly content to go through the motions so they can assert that Turkey is cooperating with the GoI, not just the KRG, against the PKK. We will continue to encourage the Turks and Iraqis to make more serious use of this channel, but we also find ourselves moderating our expectations. END COMMENT. CROCKER