US embassy cable - 04ANKARA676

S E C R E T ANKARA 000676 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NOFORN 
 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/NGA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2013 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, MOPS, MARR, PINR, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: CALLING IN TURKS' PROMISE TO END PMF 
 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 519 
     B. 03 ANKARA 7526 
     C. 03 ANKARA 6804 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric Edelman.  Reasons 1.5 b and 
d. Recommendation at para 2. 
 
 
1. (S/NF) As Ref A and the January 27 Turkish press and 
official reactions to Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)  "PM" 
Nechirvan Barzani's reported statement demonstrate, the 
Turkish-led Peace Monitoring Force (PMF) in northern Iraq 
continues to be an irritant that has outlived its usefulness. 
 Iraqi Kurdish leaders and, we understand, US forces, would 
like to see it disbanded as soon as possible.  The PMF, whose 
sole purpose was to monitor the 1997 cease-fire between the 
KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, is now monitoring 
nothing, but remaining garrisoned in northern Iraq as a 
foreign-led force of armed Iraqi Turkmen and Assyrians 
outside the CJTF-7 chain-of-command and that of the Iraqi 
security structures.  As noted Ref C, according to reporting 
in other channels, TGS officials in mid-2003 asked the KDP 
not to press for an end to the PMF, promising that Turkey 
would unilaterally disband the force by the end of 2003. 
During VCJCS General Pace's early December visit here, TGS 
declared the PMF a success story and proposed that it be 
incorporated into the new Iraqi security structures possibly 
to train new recruits (Ref B).  As we enter the second month 
of 2004, it is time to put this potential irritant away and 
ask the Turks to bring the PMF to an end, per their promise. 
 
 
2. (S/NF) RECOMMENDATION: As previewed in Refs B and C, we 
recommend that the Department instruct a bilateral approach 
to the Turks at a senior level making clear that the USG, the 
CPA, CJTF-7 and the Iraqi Governing Council want the PMF 
disbanded, as its mission is complete.  We should make this 
approach quietly and allow the Turks to claim that they are 
unilaterally disbanding the force after its successful 
completion of its mission.  We should assure the Turks that 
no Iraqi party has been informed of the demarche and that it 
is not being carried out at the request of any Iraqi party, 
but because the end of the PMF is in the interest of the US 
and Iraq.  If we are not explicit about this point, the Turks 
will assume that we are requesting this at the behest of the 
Iraqi Kurds, and will both be less likely to comply and 
irritated that yet again, the USG will appear to be siding 
with the Iraqi Kurds over Turkey.  As recommended Ref B, we 
could suggest that the individual Iraqi PMF members be 
encouraged to enlist in the new Iraqi security structures, 
and assure the Turks that the coalition would publicly 
welcome the application of PMF members for positions in those 
structures. 
 
 
3. (U) Baghdad Minimize Considered. 
EDELMAN