US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6991

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006991 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: ANKARA PUK REP REPORTS TALABANI STILL INSISTS ON 
DELAY IN KURDISH ELECTIONS, DENIES PLANS FOR KRG REFERENDUM 
ON INDEPENDENCE 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 6946 
 
Classified By: Political Military Counselor Timothy A. Betts. Reasons 1 
.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) PolMilOffs met Dec. 15 with Patriotic Union of 
Kurdistan (PUK) Ankara representative Bahros Galali to 
discuss our concerns about Kurdish calls for a delay in 
governorate council elections in Kirkuk. Galali asked if the 
elections would take place as originally planned if the Kurds 
did not participate; PolMilOff emphasized that USG, the IIG, 
and the IECI believe elections should take place everywhere 
in the country on time. 
 
2.  (C)  During the conversation, Galali's cellular phone 
rang and, after a brief conversation in Kurdish, Galali hung 
up and indicated that it was PUK President Jalal Talabani, 
who advised him to tell us that the PUK will boycott 
governorate council elections in Kirkuk until Article 58 of 
the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) is implemented in 
Kirkuk. According to Galali, Talabani told him that agreeing 
to participate in the election before this would signal PUK 
approval for the Arabization of Kirkuk. PolMilOff emphasized 
that the outcome of the elections would not determine the 
outcome of the Article 58 process. 
 
3.  (C)  PolMilOff indicated to Galali that we have heard 
reports that the Kurdish Regional Government might hold a 
referendum on independence during Jan. 30 elections (see 
reftel). Galali denied hearing of any such plan, and said 
that PUK would never seek such a referendum without first 
consulting the USG. 
 
4.  (C)  Comment: As evidenced by our previous experience and 
by his apparently receiving a phone call from Talabani during 
our conversation, Galali is well plugged into the PUK 
leadership. It would appear, therefore, that the idea of an 
independence referendum may be a KDP gambit (see reftel), and 
not supported by the PUK. End comment. 
 
5.  (U)  Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
 
EDELMAN