LEBANON AND THE PKK

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 02694


E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL PTER SY TU LE
SUBJECT: LEBANON AND THE PKK

REF: (A) STATE 176472 (NOTAL) (B) DAMASCUS 3848
(C) ANKARA 7929



1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT


2. ON JUNE 23 (PRIOR TO THE SERIES OF PKK ATTACKS ON
TURKISH INTERESTS IN EUROPE),THE AMBASSADOR RAISED
WITH INTERIOR MINISTER BISHARA MIRHIJ THE JUNE 8 OCALAN
PRESS CONFERENCE IN THE BIQA' IN WHICH HE EFFECTIVELY
DECLARED WAR ON TURKEY, INCLUDING TOURIST FACILITIES IN
TURKEY. THE AMBASSADOR TOLD MIRHIJ THAT WE HAD
DELIVERED A DEMARCHE IN DAMASCUS EXPRESSING OUR CONCERN
OVER THESE STATEMENTS. WHILE HE HAD NO INSTRUCTIONS TO
DO THE SAME IN LEBANON, THE AMBASSADOR SAID THE
LEBANESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRESENCE
OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS ON LEBANESE TERRITORY AND ACTIONS
OF THIS NATURE ARE VERY HARMFUL TO THE LEBANESE EFFORT
TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT THE
YEARS OF CHAOS AND CIVIL CONFLICT ARE AT AN END, AND
THAT LEBANON IS NO LONGER A SANCTUARY FOR INTERNATIONAL
TERRORISM.


3. MIRHIJ READILY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT OCALAN'S
STATEMENTS HAD BEEN AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE GOVERNMENT
AND THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION IN A RECENT CABINET
MEETING. DURING TALKS THE PREVIOUS WEEK WITH HIS
SYRIAN COUNTERPART ON JOINT EFFORTS TO CONTROL
SMUGGLING, MIRHIJ SAID THAT HE HAD RAISED OCALAN'S
PERFORMANCE, ASKING FOR SYRIA'S COOPERATION IN ENSURING
THAT THERE WAS NO REPETITION. MIRHIJ SAID HE DID NOT
GET A COMMITMENT, BUT FELT THAT THE SYRIANS WERE ALSO
TAKEN ABACK BY THE VEHEMENCE OF OCALAN'S STATEMENTS.


CROCKER