US embassy cable - 04ANKARA514

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000514 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EB, EUR/SE, AND S/CT BLACK AND SULLIVAN 
NSC FOR BRYZA AND MCKIBBEN 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2009 
TAGS: PTER, EFIN, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCING: TURKISH MFA ON EU EXTENDING 
PKK TERRORIST DESIGNATION TO KADEK AND KONGRA GEL 
 
REF: A. 2003 MADRID 4545 
     B. STATE 6143 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION ROBERT S. DEUTSCH FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: In two meetings with Turkish MFA Deputy 
Director General for Research and Intelligence Kemal Asya, 
Econoffs delivered ref B talking points, emphasizing the need 
for Turkey to work closely with those EU countries that favor 
designation of Kadek and Kongra Gel, and to provide maximum 
documentary evidence for EU deliberations.  Asya claimed 
Turkey provided ample evidence. End Summary. 
 
 
2. (C) On January 8, and again on January 14, following the 
U.S. designation of Kongra Gel, econoffs met with MFA Deputy 
Director General for Research and Intelligence Kemal Asya. 
On January 8, econoffs passed on reports (ref A) from Spain 
that Turkey did not always provide as much evidence and 
documentation as would be helpful for EU clearinghouse 
meetings.  Econoffs pointed out that providing maximum 
evidence and documentation makes it harder for those opposed 
to designation.  In the January 14 meeting, econoffs 
delivered ref b's talking points, informing Asya of the 
designation and reiterating the need to provide a strong 
evidentiary case to the EU. 
 
 
3. (C) Asya was clearly grateful for the U.S. designation. 
 
 
4. (C) On the issue of providing evidence to the EU, Asya 
claimed that Turkey has provided cassettes of Kadek/Kongra 
Gel activities and Kadek/Kongra Gel publications, and that it 
is clear from the Television station appearances of Kadek and 
Kongra Gel that they are, in fact, PKK. 
 
 
5. (C) Asya went on to conclude that EU countries resisting 
designation are in effect providing indirect support to PKK. 
He drew a parallel with the difficulties Turkey has had with 
EU countries regarding the much smaller, but very lethal 
Turkish Marxist terrorist group DHKP-C (which has also 
targeted official Americans). Asya said Belgium and the 
Netherlands, in particular, continue to allow DHKP-C to have 
offices and harbor the group's leader.  As a result, there 
have been attempted attacks on Turkish leaders during visits 
to Brussels.  For a period, according to Asya, the DHKP-C 
office in Brussels even displayed its flag openly.  When 
Turkey presses Belgium to take action, according to Asya, the 
Belgian authorities say the issue falls under the 
jurisdiction of the municipality of Brussels. Asya surmised 
that, as with DHKP-C, some EU countries provide indirect 
support to PKK and its successors. 
 
 
6. (C) Comment: Asya may not have fully grasped the need for 
Turkey to do a better job of helping itself on this issue. 
Post will continue to make this point to appropriate GOT 
interlocutors.  End Comment. 
DEUTSCH