US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6448

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006448 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TREASURY FOR OTI - RLEBENSON/JSERAFINI 
NSC FOR MERKEL 
DOJ FOR OPDAT - JSILVERWOOD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2015 
TAGS: KTFN, PTER, EFIN, PGOV, PKK 
SUBJECT: USG SUPPORT TO TURKEY"S FIGHT AGAINST THE PKK 
 
REF: SECSTATE 195498 
 
Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (S) Summary: Charge delivered the points in reftel to 
MFA Deputy U/S Sensoy, going over the broad range of U.S. 
actions on PKK, and pressing him hard regarding 
public statements by senior GOT officials.  On law 
enforcement cooperation in Europe, the Charge asked for 
more information on the targeted names' criminal activities 
in Europe and suggested the utility of seeking designations 
to freeze assets.  Sensoy seemed to take the points and 
undertook to ask other GOT agencies for more information on 
the targeted names.  End Summary. 
 
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Multi-Faceted U.S. Effort Against PKK 
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2. (S) In a meeting October 26 with MFA Deputy U/S Nabi 
Sensoy, 
Charge delivered reftel points, laying out in some detail 
the many areas in which the U.S. is working to help Turkey 
on PKK. She briefed Sensoy in general terms of the current 
status of U.S. military intelligence cooperation.  Sensoy 
took the point that these efforts required USG 
allocation of precious resources.  Charge also assured 
Sensoy that the U.S. continually raises the PKK issue with 
Iraqi officials and mentioned U.S. work to move 
forward on the trilaterals. 
 
3. (S) On enhanced cooperation against PKK support networks 
in Europe, the Charge briefed Sensoy on U.S. demarches to 
European governments.  Regarding the exchange of 
lists of PKK individuals to target, she explained that the 
Interpol red notices for the names provided by Ambassador 
Guven to EUR/SE Director Silliman only provide information 
regarding crimes committed in Turkey.  She noted that in at 
least two cases--Remzi Kartal and Nuriye Kesbir--European 
authorities had arrested the individuals and Turkey's 
extradition requests had not been accepted by German and 
Dutch courts.  The Charge said it is likely to be more 
effective to show European Governments how PKK figures are 
committing crimes in Europe and asked whether Turkey had 
information about these individuals' criminal activity in 
Europe.  In case there is little such information, passing 
on leads such as credit card numbers and telephone numbers 
might help enhanced collection leading to Europeans taking 
action.  Sensoy said he would immediately ask other 
agencies whether Turkey had such information.  The Charge 
stressed the need to move more quickly in this process in 
order to get to the stage of tangible action. 
 
4.(S) She also raised designation and asset-freezing. 
Though ideally, our enhanced law enforcement efforts would 
lead to arrests, it would also be useful--and require a 
lower evidentiary standard--to push European governments to 
designate and freeze PKK money. 
 
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GOT Officials' Public Statements 
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5. (S) The Charge underscored the importance of GOT officials 
conveying to the public that the U.S. is working with Turkey 
on the PKK problem.  She stressed--and Sensoy recognized--in 
how many different ways we are working with Turkey to combat 
the PKK.  Sensoy acknowledged a palpable change in U.S. 
attention to the PKK issue, recognizing how seriously the 
U.S. 
was taking it and stressed GOT appreciation for it.  He said 
public opinion tended to focus more on visible military 
action, which led to pressures within the AK Party on 
government leaders.  The Charge came back to this issue 
several times, pressing Sensoy on the need for GOT public 
statements to note U.S. efforts on PKK. 
 
6. (S) The Charge also urged the GOT to think about the PKK 
in a broader context.  She urged the GOT to speak out on the 
imperative of stabilizing Iraq and thus ridding it of all 
forms 
of terrorism, including the PKK. She noted that a stable, 
democratic and unified Iraq free of terrorist groups would 
provide a dramatic boost to Turkey,s overall national 
security. 
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Comment 
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7. (S) Post will report separately on reftel's demarche to 
European embassies, and will seek other opportunities to 
convey the bilateral message.  Sensoy is clearly 
sympathetic and has a stake in trying to get more 
information on PKK names and passing on the US message 
about public statements.  Post would also appreciate 
continued focus on how to move forward quickly with concrete 
steps that result in the arrest of PKK supporters in Europe. 
MCELDOWNEY