US embassy cable - 92STATE112651

S E C R E T STATE 112651 
 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:  OADR 
TAGS:  PREL, PTER, SY, LE, TU 
SUBJECT:  TURKISH NON-PAPER ON PKK CAMPS 
 
1.  SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT. 
 
2.  THE TURKISH EMBASSY HAS PASSED ON TO US THE FOLLOWING 
"NON-PAPER" RELATED TO SYRIAN SUPPORT FOR THE PKK.  IT IS 
PROVIDED ON AN FYI BASIS ONLY. 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM UNCONFIRMED INTELLIGENCE 
REPORTS: 
 
-- PKK AND SYRIAN OFFICIALS MET IN LEBANON SEVERAL TIMES 
IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH. 
 
-- THE PKK ASKED SYRIAN OFFICIALS TO TRANSFER SYRIANS OF 
KURDISH ORIGIN TO PKK CAMPS IN EASTERN LEBANON AND URGED 
THEIR COOPERATION IN VIEW OF A POSSIBLE TURKISH ATTACK. 
THE SYRIANS REPLIED THAT THEY WOULD CONVEY THE REQUEST TO 
THEIR AUTHORITIES. 
 
-- SEVEN SYRIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS CONDUCTED 
STUDIES OF THE TERRORIST CAMPS IN SUDAN ATTHE END OF 
FEBRUARY. 
 
-- AFTER THIS, THE PKK'S HEAVY ARTILLERY AND AMMUNITION 
STORED AT THE MAHSUM KORKMAZ ACADEMY WERE TRANSFERRED TO 
THE SYRIAN DIVISION IN BEIRUT/ANJAR. 
 
-- SYRIA AND THE PKK ARE TAKING CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS LATELY 
BECAUSE OF THE UPCOMING VISIT TO SYRIA OF THE TURKISH 
MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, AND STATEMENTS BY THE TURKISH 
GOVERNMENT THAT SYRIA SUPPORTS PKK TERRORISM. 
 
-- THE PKK OPENED TWO NEW CAMPS IN THE BEKAA VALLEY EAST 
OF ANJAR AT THE END OF JANUARY. 
 
-- SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, SOME PKK MEMBERS HAVE 
BEEN CAMPING 30KM FROM MAHSUM KORKMAZ ACADEMY NEAR KISVE. 
 
-- A NEW CAMP WAS OPENED IN MARCH ON THE AL-NAHR PLATEAU 
NEAR THE TOWN OF RASHAYA, WHICH IS UNDER SYRIAN CONTROL. 
 
-- AFTER CONCLUDING THEIR TRAINING AT THE BEGINNING  OF 
MARCH, 300 PKK MEMBERS LEFT CAMP.  ANOTHER GROUP ENTERED 
ON MARCH 14. 
 
-- MAHSUM KORKMAZ ACADEMY IS THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE PKK 
AND HAS SPECIAL IMPORTANCE DUE TO ITS PRESTIGE.  IT IS 
THOUGHT THAT OTHER CAMPS WILL BE MOVED DEEPER INTO LEBANON. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
BAKER