Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
98ANKARA9055
1998-09-19 15:45:00
SECRET
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
ARMY CHIEF WARNS SYRIA ABOUT SUPPORT FOR PKK
how-toO 191545Z SEP 98 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3293 INFO SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ5/ECPOLAD// USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//POLAD// AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY AMMAN ODC ANKARA TU TLO ANKARA TU AMCONSUL ADANA
S E C R E T ANKARA 009055
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/09
TAGS: PTER MOPS PINR PREL TU SY IR
SUBJECT: ARMY CHIEF WARNS SYRIA ABOUT SUPPORT FOR PKK
REF: (A) ANKARA 8898, (B) ANKARA 8522
(U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARK R. PARRIS, EMBASSY
ANKARA. REASON: 1.5 (A),(B) AND (D).
S E C R E T ANKARA 009055
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/09
TAGS: PTER MOPS PINR PREL TU SY IR
SUBJECT: ARMY CHIEF WARNS SYRIA ABOUT SUPPORT FOR PKK
REF: (A) ANKARA 8898, (B) ANKARA 8522
(U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARK R. PARRIS, EMBASSY
ANKARA. REASON: 1.5 (A),(B) AND (D).
1. (U) TURKISH LAND FORCES COMMAND (TLFC) COMMANDER
GENERAL ATILLA ATES WAS QUOTED IN THE LOCAL PRESS SEPTEMBER
16 AS SAYING THAT TURKEY WAS "RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE" WITH
SYRIA'S ALLEGED SUPPORT OF THE SEPARATIST/TERRORIST
KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY (PKK). THE CONSERVATIVE "TURKIYE"
NEWSPAPER'S IHA NEWS AGENCY REPORTED ATES AS ASSERTING THAT
BY "SUPPORTING THE `BANDIT' APO (PKK LEADER ABDULLAH
OCALAN)," SYRIA HAD "CONTAMINATED TURKEY WITH THE CALAMITY
OF TERRORISM." HE WARNED THAT TURKEY "HAD NO MORE PATIENCE
LEFT."
2. (C) ATES'S COMMENTS WERE ALL THE MORE POINTED BECAUSE
THEY WERE DELIVERED DURING A VISIT TO TROOPS IN HATAY
PROVINCE, SOVEREIGNTY OVER WHICH SYRIA CLAIMS AND WHICH IS
THEREFORE A MAJOR IRRITANT IN RELATIONS BETWEEN ANKARA AND
DAMASCUS. ACCORDING TO AN OFFICIAL OF THE TURKISH GENERAL
STAFF (TGS),WHO SPOKE WITH EMBASSY CONTACTS SEPTEMBER 18, TGS'
SENIOR LEADERSHIP DECIDED THAT A PUBLIC WARNING TO SYRIA ABOUT
THE PKK WAS LONG OVERDUE. THE FACT THAT IT WAS DELIVERED BY ARMY
CHIEF ATES IN HATAY UNDERSCORED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE MESSAGE
BEHIND IT.
3. (C) IN THREE SEPARATE CONTACTS SEPTEMBER 17, MFA U/S
HAKTANIR AND TWO OTHER SENIOR MFA OFFICIALS LIKEWISE
REITERATED THAT TURKEY IS "OUT OF PATIENCE" WITH SYRIA, AND
THAT THE DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES OF EARLIER THIS YEAR HAD "COME
TO A STOP."
4. (S) COMMENT: IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT THE TURKS ARE LAYING
OUT A GROUNDWORK OF DIPLOMATIC AND PUBLIC WARNINGS TO DAMASCUS TO
PROVIDE A RATIONALE FOR AN EVENTUAL DECISION ON A MILITARY
RESPONSE TO PKK ACTIVITY IN SYRIA. SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THEY
HAVE USED RECALLS OUR POST FACTO JUSTIFICATION OF OUR CRUISE
MISSILE ATTACKS ON OSAMA BIN LADEN FACILITIES LAST MONTH. WE
HAVE NO INDICATION A DECISION TO ACTUALLY CARRY OUT AN ATTACK HAS
BEEN REACHED. WE RECOMMEND U.S.INTELLIGENCE ATTENTION TO
INDICATIONS OF TURKISH MILITARY AND PKK ACTIVITY IN THE
SYRIAN-TURKISH BORDER REGION, AS WELL AS THE BEKAA.
PARRIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/18/09
TAGS: PTER MOPS PINR PREL TU SY IR
SUBJECT: ARMY CHIEF WARNS SYRIA ABOUT SUPPORT FOR PKK
REF: (A) ANKARA 8898, (B) ANKARA 8522
(U) CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR MARK R. PARRIS, EMBASSY
ANKARA. REASON: 1.5 (A),(B) AND (D).
1. (U) TURKISH LAND FORCES COMMAND (TLFC) COMMANDER
GENERAL ATILLA ATES WAS QUOTED IN THE LOCAL PRESS SEPTEMBER
16 AS SAYING THAT TURKEY WAS "RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE" WITH
SYRIA'S ALLEGED SUPPORT OF THE SEPARATIST/TERRORIST
KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY (PKK). THE CONSERVATIVE "TURKIYE"
NEWSPAPER'S IHA NEWS AGENCY REPORTED ATES AS ASSERTING THAT
BY "SUPPORTING THE `BANDIT' APO (PKK LEADER ABDULLAH
OCALAN)," SYRIA HAD "CONTAMINATED TURKEY WITH THE CALAMITY
OF TERRORISM." HE WARNED THAT TURKEY "HAD NO MORE PATIENCE
LEFT."
2. (C) ATES'S COMMENTS WERE ALL THE MORE POINTED BECAUSE
THEY WERE DELIVERED DURING A VISIT TO TROOPS IN HATAY
PROVINCE, SOVEREIGNTY OVER WHICH SYRIA CLAIMS AND WHICH IS
THEREFORE A MAJOR IRRITANT IN RELATIONS BETWEEN ANKARA AND
DAMASCUS. ACCORDING TO AN OFFICIAL OF THE TURKISH GENERAL
STAFF (TGS),WHO SPOKE WITH EMBASSY CONTACTS SEPTEMBER 18, TGS'
SENIOR LEADERSHIP DECIDED THAT A PUBLIC WARNING TO SYRIA ABOUT
THE PKK WAS LONG OVERDUE. THE FACT THAT IT WAS DELIVERED BY ARMY
CHIEF ATES IN HATAY UNDERSCORED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE MESSAGE
BEHIND IT.
3. (C) IN THREE SEPARATE CONTACTS SEPTEMBER 17, MFA U/S
HAKTANIR AND TWO OTHER SENIOR MFA OFFICIALS LIKEWISE
REITERATED THAT TURKEY IS "OUT OF PATIENCE" WITH SYRIA, AND
THAT THE DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES OF EARLIER THIS YEAR HAD "COME
TO A STOP."
4. (S) COMMENT: IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT THE TURKS ARE LAYING
OUT A GROUNDWORK OF DIPLOMATIC AND PUBLIC WARNINGS TO DAMASCUS TO
PROVIDE A RATIONALE FOR AN EVENTUAL DECISION ON A MILITARY
RESPONSE TO PKK ACTIVITY IN SYRIA. SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THEY
HAVE USED RECALLS OUR POST FACTO JUSTIFICATION OF OUR CRUISE
MISSILE ATTACKS ON OSAMA BIN LADEN FACILITIES LAST MONTH. WE
HAVE NO INDICATION A DECISION TO ACTUALLY CARRY OUT AN ATTACK HAS
BEEN REACHED. WE RECOMMEND U.S.INTELLIGENCE ATTENTION TO
INDICATIONS OF TURKISH MILITARY AND PKK ACTIVITY IN THE
SYRIAN-TURKISH BORDER REGION, AS WELL AS THE BEKAA.
PARRIS