TRILATERAL COUNTER-PKK COOPERATION REMAINS ON TRACK

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 003133 NOFORN SIPDIS NSC FOR MPHEE, PVROOMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2019 TAGS: PREL PTER MARR PINR SNAR TU IZ SUBJECT: TRILATERAL COUNTER-PKK COOPERATION REMAINS ON TRACK REF: BAGHDAD 3056 Classified By: PMA M/C AMB C. MUNTER; REASONS 1.4 B&D. ¶1. (SECRET/NOFORN) Summary: MNF-I MGEN Stephen Hummer led a MNF-I/EMB Baghdad group, accompanied by MSNSA Staff MGEN Fukaiki, to the Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Office (TISO) on November 25. Bilateral U.S.-GoI (with KRG host) discussions on the margins with hosting KRG Zerevani (paramilitary police) MGEN Delshad explained in helpful additional detail how KRG and GoI border forces coordinate to operate a layered system to monitor the Turkish-Iraqi-border. Subsequent reviews of actual TISO targeting packages revealed the increased quality of trilateral targeting efforts and, inter alia, pointed to follow-on efforts to develop nominations for INTERPOL red notices for potential PKK/Kongra Gel targets. TISO representatives also consulted on a planned December 12-13 assessment visit to Ibrahim Khalil-Habur gate on the Turkish-Iraqi border. End Summary. ¶2. (SECRET) MNF-I MGEN Hummer led a MNF-I/EMB Baghdad group, accompanied by MSNSA Staff MGEN Fukaiki, to the TISO on November 25. Overall, the meeting was very positive and the cooperation was encouraging with favorable atmospherics. The group discussed the concept of the visit to the Ibrahim Khalil-Habur gate on/or about December 12-13. MGEN Delshad and MGEN Fukaiki both welcomed the visit and looked forward to whatever technological improvement suggestions U.S. experts might make for the Iraqi Directorate of Border Enforcement (DBE) as a result of the assessment which the trip will afford. Both Delshad and Fukaiki welcomed as full a role for Turkey in the visit as Ankara is prepared to play, including a possible visit by the trilateral group to the Turkish side of the border. (Note: EMB Ankara reports that the GoT plans to send a delegation to participate in the visit. End Note.) ¶3. (CONFIDENTIAL) - MGEN Delshad also explained in some useful detail how the IBP and KRG Zerevani work in a layered border patrol system with Zerevani in support of actual IBP on the border itself. Delshad welcomed potential U.S. technological assistance to enhance border monitoring, communication within Zerevani and with other KRG authorities, and with IBP. Delshad was plain that communications is the Achilles Heel for the Zerevani, saying his forces mainly rely on cell phones or limited face-to-face contact with the Iraqi Border Patrol (IBP). He was proud that Zerevani junior officers are being trained now in an Iraqi Federal Police Academy in Baghdad and has built a Zerevani training academy in the vicinity of Erbil to use those graduates as trainers for further Zerevani professional development. He invited MGEN Hummer to visit the site on a future trip to Erbil. ¶4. (CONFIDENTIAL) - MGEN Delshad said that the PKK/Kongra Gel is involved in narcotics trafficking through transportation and associated services, like protection. He said that Asayeesh (Kurdish security services) has the lead on counter-narcotics. He also said that there is no market for narcotics in the KRG. MGEN Fukaiki,s aide, Mr. Safa, said that the PKK regularly uses the border seams to traffic narcotics from Iran through the mountains west to Turkey and onward to the European market. FORD