US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3039

S E C R E T BAGHDAD 003039 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2015 
TAGS: PINS, PTER, PINR, TU, IZ, Terrorism 
SUBJECT: TALABANI AND BARZANI DISMISS KDP SUPPORT FOR PKK 
OPERATIONS 
 
REF: IIR 6 898 0544 05 
 
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires David M. Satterfield for reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
1.  (S) On July 19, the Charge discussed the report with 
President Talabani that the PKK is planning an operation in 
Northern Iraq.  Talabani suggested there are actually two 
factions of the PKK in the Kurdistan Regional Government 
(KRG).  One, he said, is committed to terrorist action in 
Turkey.  This group has dispatched PPK members outside Iraq 
and is apparently mobilizing for an operation. 
 
2.  (S) The second faction is growing larger, but its members 
are willing to 'live in peace' in their Iraqi hideout until 
the Iraqi government grants them asylum.  The Charge noted 
the concerns of Turkey regarding the Kurdish Democratic 
Party's (KDP) provision of support or other facilitative 
services to the terrorist group.  Talabani dismissed the 
connection, but expressed concern that the Turks would 
retaliate.  (Talabani strangely added, "this would be their 
right".) Talabani also opined that Masoud Barzani "hates the 
PKK more than the Turks" because of the damage they caused 
the Kurds of Kurdistan. 
 
3.  (S) Talabani said the PKK had requested that he host a 
meeting with the Iraqi Transitional Government and the United 
States.  Talabani added that he had rejected the proposal 
outright. 
 
4.  (S) On July 21, the Charge also raised reports with KDP 
leader Barzani of impending PKK operations and urged Barzani 
not to help the PKK.  Barzani replied that he had no 
knowledge of any such operations. Moreover, the KDP has 
nothing to do with the PKK, he said; they are ideological and 
political rivals.  Barzani continued that the Turkish army 
needs to understand that there can be no military solution to 
the Kurdish problem in Turkey.  There are armed PKK groups in 
Diyar Bakir, Bingol and Istanbul, as well as other Turkish 
cities, he said.  Turkey refuses to acknowledge this reality. 
 Indeed, Barzani continued, except for allowing songs and 
books in the Kurdish language, the Turks have not 
acknowledged the Kurds as an ethnic group.  Instead, Turkey 
prefers to blame Iraqi Kurdistan and especially the KDP for 
Turkey's Kurdish problems. 
 
5.  (U) REO Hillah, REO Basrah, REO Mosul and REO Kirkuk, 
minimize considered. 
Satterfield