Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ANKARA38
2010-01-08 16:33:00
SECRET
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
(C) TURKEY PRESSES FOR USF-I INTEL TEAM VISIT TO
how-toVZCZCXYZ0016 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAK #0038 0081633 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 081633Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1644 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 6727 RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU RUETIAA/NSACSS FT GEORGE G MEADE MD RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK RHMFISS/MNF IRAQ C2 OPS RUEUITH/AFOSI 52 FIS ANKARA TU RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
S E C R E T ANKARA 000038
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I;
BAGHDAD: PLEASE PASS TO PRTS ERBIL AND NINEWA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2020
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR MARR TU IZ
SUBJECT: (C) TURKEY PRESSES FOR USF-I INTEL TEAM VISIT TO
ANKARA
REF: 09 ANKARA 1846
Classified By: CDA Doug Silliman; reasons 1.4(b,d)
S E C R E T ANKARA 000038
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I;
BAGHDAD: PLEASE PASS TO PRTS ERBIL AND NINEWA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2020
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR MARR TU IZ
SUBJECT: (C) TURKEY PRESSES FOR USF-I INTEL TEAM VISIT TO
ANKARA
REF: 09 ANKARA 1846
Classified By: CDA Doug Silliman; reasons 1.4(b,d)
1. (S) Turkish ambassador to Iraq Murat Ozcelik requested a
meeting January 8 with the Charge to emphasize President Gul,
Prime Minister Erdogan and Minister of Interior Atalay's
strong interest in a proposed visit by a USF-I (formerly
MNF-I) intelligence team to Ankara in late January or early
February (REFTEL). Ozcelik requested the Charge inform
Washington that a visit would be critical to maintaining
psychological pressure on the terrorist Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK) leadership. That pressure, Ozcelik contended, is
key to the GoT's on-going effort to encourage "reconcilable"
fighters and PKK supporters harboring in northern Iraq "to
come down from the mountain" and back across the border into
Turkey, where they would be free to pursue their political
agenda through non-violent means. During a separate meeting
with us the same day, Ministry of Interior (MoI) Secretary
General Eyup Tepe confirmed his minister's conviction that a
USF-I intelligence team visit is crucial to eroding the
morale of the PKK and convincing its fighters that terrorism
as a political tool is unacceptable, not only to the GoT, but
to Turkey's most valued ally.
2. (C) Ozcelik reported KRG President Barzani "fully
understands" that the December 7 PKK ambush and killing of
seven Jandarma in Tokat province threatens to revive
anti-Kurdish enmity among Turks and introduce a serious
impediment to improving relations between Ankara and Erbil.
Noting that post-Tokat, Turkey's major opposition parties
have accused the KRG of colluding with the PKK, Ozcelik
reiterated his perception that Barzani is now willing to
reinforce his verbal criticism of the terrorists with
tangible steps to compel their departure from northern Iraq
(REFTEL).
3. (S) COMMENT: A USF-I visit would strengthen the hand of
MFA, MoI and the Turkish National Intelligence Organization,
which want to cultivate a broad-based mutually beneficial
relationship with the KRG, in their inter-agency dispute with
the Turkish General Staff, which remains skeptical both of
Barzani and non-military solutions to the PKK refuge in
northern Iraq. Ozcelik indicated the optics of a USF-I visit
are more important than specific accomplishments. A more
senior USF-I intel team lead would likely help the GoT in
selling the success of its outreach to the KRG and Iraqi
government and in pressing ahead with its National Unity
Project to address the grievances of Turkey's Kurdish
population.
SILLIMAN
"Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I;
BAGHDAD: PLEASE PASS TO PRTS ERBIL AND NINEWA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2020
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR MARR TU IZ
SUBJECT: (C) TURKEY PRESSES FOR USF-I INTEL TEAM VISIT TO
ANKARA
REF: 09 ANKARA 1846
Classified By: CDA Doug Silliman; reasons 1.4(b,d)
1. (S) Turkish ambassador to Iraq Murat Ozcelik requested a
meeting January 8 with the Charge to emphasize President Gul,
Prime Minister Erdogan and Minister of Interior Atalay's
strong interest in a proposed visit by a USF-I (formerly
MNF-I) intelligence team to Ankara in late January or early
February (REFTEL). Ozcelik requested the Charge inform
Washington that a visit would be critical to maintaining
psychological pressure on the terrorist Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK) leadership. That pressure, Ozcelik contended, is
key to the GoT's on-going effort to encourage "reconcilable"
fighters and PKK supporters harboring in northern Iraq "to
come down from the mountain" and back across the border into
Turkey, where they would be free to pursue their political
agenda through non-violent means. During a separate meeting
with us the same day, Ministry of Interior (MoI) Secretary
General Eyup Tepe confirmed his minister's conviction that a
USF-I intelligence team visit is crucial to eroding the
morale of the PKK and convincing its fighters that terrorism
as a political tool is unacceptable, not only to the GoT, but
to Turkey's most valued ally.
2. (C) Ozcelik reported KRG President Barzani "fully
understands" that the December 7 PKK ambush and killing of
seven Jandarma in Tokat province threatens to revive
anti-Kurdish enmity among Turks and introduce a serious
impediment to improving relations between Ankara and Erbil.
Noting that post-Tokat, Turkey's major opposition parties
have accused the KRG of colluding with the PKK, Ozcelik
reiterated his perception that Barzani is now willing to
reinforce his verbal criticism of the terrorists with
tangible steps to compel their departure from northern Iraq
(REFTEL).
3. (S) COMMENT: A USF-I visit would strengthen the hand of
MFA, MoI and the Turkish National Intelligence Organization,
which want to cultivate a broad-based mutually beneficial
relationship with the KRG, in their inter-agency dispute with
the Turkish General Staff, which remains skeptical both of
Barzani and non-military solutions to the PKK refuge in
northern Iraq. Ozcelik indicated the optics of a USF-I visit
are more important than specific accomplishments. A more
senior USF-I intel team lead would likely help the GoT in
selling the success of its outreach to the KRG and Iraqi
government and in pressing ahead with its National Unity
Project to address the grievances of Turkey's Kurdish
population.
SILLIMAN
"Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"