Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ANKARA282
2010-02-22 08:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
MOI ATALAY BULLY ON ACTION PLAN, SOUR ON BARZANI
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000282
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, S/CT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2020
TAGS: PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: MOI ATALAY BULLY ON ACTION PLAN, SOUR ON BARZANI
REF: ANKARA 267
Classified By: Ambassador James Jeffrey, for reasons 1.4(b,d)
This is an action request. Please see para. 5.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000282
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, S/CT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2020
TAGS: PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: MOI ATALAY BULLY ON ACTION PLAN, SOUR ON BARZANI
REF: ANKARA 267
Classified By: Ambassador James Jeffrey, for reasons 1.4(b,d)
This is an action request. Please see para. 5.
1. (C) Summary. On February 16 Ambassador Jeffrey met with
Minister of Interior Besir Atalay to discuss the first steps
in the enhanced joint action plan to eradicate the PKK. The
GOT would welcome a visit by UFF-I MG Hummer, and Post would
like the Department to discuss screening of Iraq-bound
passengers with the Embassy of Iraq. End summary.
2. (C) On February 16 the Ambassador met with Minister of
Interior Besir Atalay to discuss cooperation on increasing
security in Northern Iraq, among other topics, and gave
Atalay a copy of the February 11 letter from General Odierno
to the Minister. Atalay thanked the Ambassador for quickly
responding to his request for an enhanced action plan to
eradicate the PKK so soon after General Odierno's visit, and
for reinforcing existing commitments regarding intelligence
sharing and the use of unmanned aircraft. He said he looked
forward to making more progress on developing the joint
action plan quickly.
3. (C) Atalay lamented that President of the Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) Massoud Barzani did not appear to
be trying to eliminate the PKK in Northern Iraq, and that the
KRG was providing a great deal of support to the refugees in
the Makhmur Camp, from which the PKK is known to draw
support. He hoped that the elections planned for March in
Iraq would help to strengthen the federal government system
so that Turkey's bilateral relations with Iraq's Foreign
Minister would lead to greater cooperation on security
matters in Northern Iraq. He complained that PKK members
appeared to travel freely into Iraq from Europe via Erbil and
Sulaymaniyah airports. The Ambassador asked whether the
action plan could include setting up a system to prevent
known PKK members from boarding flights to Turkey, Iraq or
other countries if they did not have a valid visa or were on
a no-fly list. Atalay took the matter under consideration.
4. (C) Atalay said he would appreciate a visit from Major
General Hummer (UFF-I) to discuss security in Northern Iraq.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST. Post suggests that the Department and
Embassy Baghdad consider the viability of an Iraqi government
no fly list to permit European and other jurisdictions to
prevent the travel of known PKK officers into northern Iraq.
We believe that such an element could be included in future
discussions with the GOI and GOT on the action plan.
Jeffrey
"Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, S/CT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2020
TAGS: PGOV TU IZ
SUBJECT: MOI ATALAY BULLY ON ACTION PLAN, SOUR ON BARZANI
REF: ANKARA 267
Classified By: Ambassador James Jeffrey, for reasons 1.4(b,d)
This is an action request. Please see para. 5.
1. (C) Summary. On February 16 Ambassador Jeffrey met with
Minister of Interior Besir Atalay to discuss the first steps
in the enhanced joint action plan to eradicate the PKK. The
GOT would welcome a visit by UFF-I MG Hummer, and Post would
like the Department to discuss screening of Iraq-bound
passengers with the Embassy of Iraq. End summary.
2. (C) On February 16 the Ambassador met with Minister of
Interior Besir Atalay to discuss cooperation on increasing
security in Northern Iraq, among other topics, and gave
Atalay a copy of the February 11 letter from General Odierno
to the Minister. Atalay thanked the Ambassador for quickly
responding to his request for an enhanced action plan to
eradicate the PKK so soon after General Odierno's visit, and
for reinforcing existing commitments regarding intelligence
sharing and the use of unmanned aircraft. He said he looked
forward to making more progress on developing the joint
action plan quickly.
3. (C) Atalay lamented that President of the Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) Massoud Barzani did not appear to
be trying to eliminate the PKK in Northern Iraq, and that the
KRG was providing a great deal of support to the refugees in
the Makhmur Camp, from which the PKK is known to draw
support. He hoped that the elections planned for March in
Iraq would help to strengthen the federal government system
so that Turkey's bilateral relations with Iraq's Foreign
Minister would lead to greater cooperation on security
matters in Northern Iraq. He complained that PKK members
appeared to travel freely into Iraq from Europe via Erbil and
Sulaymaniyah airports. The Ambassador asked whether the
action plan could include setting up a system to prevent
known PKK members from boarding flights to Turkey, Iraq or
other countries if they did not have a valid visa or were on
a no-fly list. Atalay took the matter under consideration.
4. (C) Atalay said he would appreciate a visit from Major
General Hummer (UFF-I) to discuss security in Northern Iraq.
5. (C) ACTION REQUEST. Post suggests that the Department and
Embassy Baghdad consider the viability of an Iraqi government
no fly list to permit European and other jurisdictions to
prevent the travel of known PKK officers into northern Iraq.
We believe that such an element could be included in future
discussions with the GOI and GOT on the action plan.
Jeffrey
"Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"