US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1315

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR NEA/NGA AND EUR/SE; BAGHDAD ALSO FOR CJTF-7 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/03/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, MARR, PTER, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: REPORTS OF OSMAN OCALAN SURRENDER HAVE 
TURKISH OFFICIALS ASKING US FOR GROUND TRUTH - GUIDANCE 
REQUEST 
 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 521 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch.  Reasons 1.4 b and d. 
Request for information and guidance at para 3. 
 
 
1. (U) Turkish and Iraqi Kurd press have reported between 
Feb. 27 and March 4 that PKK/KADEK/KONGRA-GEL leader Osman 
Ocalan and between 15 and 100 of his followers may have 
surrendered to US forces or to the KDP, and that Ocalan is 
negotiating with US reps in Mosul to continue his activities 
there.  Every day there is a new story with a new revelation 
or commentary.  When asked by journalists about these 
stories, FM Gul said he could not confirm them, but kept the 
story alive by adding that the journalists should continue to 
pay attention to the matter in the days ahead. 
 
 
2. (C) DCM, PAO and other Embassy officers have been asked 
about the veracity of the stories by reporters, senior TGS 
officials and MFA reps (including by TGS J-3 LTG Yalcin and 
his staff, and MFA Iraq Dept. Head Serra Erarslan).  We have 
told them that we had no information that could confirm the 
stories but that we would look into them. 
 
 
3. (C) GUIDANCE/INFORMATION REQUEST:  We request that Dept. 
and/or CPA confirm that the US does not have Osman Ocalan in 
custody and is not engaged in discussions with this leader of 
the terrorist group PKK/KADEK/KONGRA-GEL.  We will continue 
to draw on CPA Administrator Bremer's Jan. 28 (Reftel) 
language on considering the PKK a terrorist organization 
whose members will be treated as terrorists.  We seek 
guidance on any additional language we can use with Turkish 
officials and/or press in responding to the continuing 
Turkish queries about the status of Osman Ocalan in Iraq. 
 
 
4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
EDELMAN