US embassy cable - 03ANKARA7133

S E C R E T ANKARA 007133 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2013 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PREF, MARR, MOPS, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: PKK/KADEK/KHK MEETS NOV. 15 IN NORTHERN IRAQ: 
UNCLEAR IF THIS IS THE "PRESS CONFERENCE" OR IF PRESS 
MEETING IS STILL IN THE WORKS 
 
REF: A. ANKARA XXXX 
     B. FBIS GMP 20031111000090 
     C. FBIS GMP 20031111000085 
     D. FBIS GMP 20031111000043 
 
 
(U) Classified by CDA Robert Deutsch.  Reasons 1.5 b and d. 
 
 
1. (U) The Turkish press reported Nov. 16 that the 
newly-established KHK (the new name adopted by the PKK/KADEK) 
held a meeting Nov. 15 in the mountains of northern Iraq near 
Sulaymaniyah along the Iran-Iraq border.  The press reports 
say that the KHK had planned to meet at a Mosul hotel, but 
was prevented from doing so by US forces.  One Turkish paper 
("Sabah") claimed that US troops raided a number of houses in 
Mosul in which the PKK/KHK militants were staying, but that 
no arrests were made.  The KHK, according to the press, 
subsequently organized a press conference in the mountain 
village of Dolesehidan.  The new KHK Chairman, Zubeyir Aydar, 
addressed the press there, saying the KHK intended to lay 
down its arms and move from the mountains into the cities to 
carry out political activities.  He also said the KHK would 
renounce its call for an independent Kurdish state, but 
warned that PKK military units would not be disbanded.  Aydar 
suggested that the US could serve as a mediator for a final 
settlement. 
 
 
2. (U) Turkish papers also reported that Amb. Edelman had 
assured Turkish PM Erdogan Nov. 15 that the US would continue 
to treat the PKK/KHK as a terrorist organization despite its 
name change and reorganization.  One paper (left-leaning 
"Cumhuriyet") claimed that the Ambassador gave assurances 
that the US would not allow the KHK to hold its press 
conference in Iraq.  While acknowledging that the KHK was 
forced to change venues because of US action, the paper 
suggests that the Ambassador did not make good on his promise. 
 
 
3. (S) While the KHK apparently held a meeting Nov. 15, it is 
unclear whether any international journalists attended.  That 
the KHK was unable to hold a large, well-organized press 
conference with TV cameras and international journalists Nov. 
15 is a credit to US action.  However, we do not discount the 
possibility that the KHK may continue trying to organize a 
press gathering on a larger, more international scale.  We 
urge CPA and Washington to remain vigilant to prevent such a 
gathering from taking place. 
 
 
4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
DEUTSCH