US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1072

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001072 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NOFORN 
 
 
DEPT. FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA; 
NSC FOR AMB. KHALILZAD; 
OSD FOR USDP LUTI 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/17/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, PREF, PHUM, TU, IZ, UNSC, Iraq 
SUBJECT: NORTHERN IRAQ: TURKS, KDP, PUK AND ITF HOLD 
"COORDINATION" MEETING IN SILOPI FEB. 17 - KURDS COMPLAIN 
ABOUT TURKISH INTERVENTION PLAN 
 
 
Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch.  Reasons 1.5 b and d. 
 
 
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Summary 
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1. (S/NF) TGS and Turkish MFA reps discussed in general terms 
with KDP, PUK and ITF reps Turkish plans and intentions to 
coordinate deployment in northern Iraq with the Iraqi Kurdish 
and Turcoman parties at a meeting in Silopi, on the 
Turkish-Iraqi border Feb. 17.  The Iraqi Kurds told the Turks 
they did not see a need for the planned Turkish deployment. 
According to the Kurds, the Turkish side was not happy with 
the response from the KDP and the PUK to their presentation, 
although the sides agreed to a follow-up meeting that will 
get into technical details in Salahadeen Feb. 25 or 26.  End 
Summary. 
 
 
2. (S/NF)KDP Ankara rep Safeen Dizayee contacted Operation 
Northern Watch POLAD Feb. 17 to report on a just-concluded 
meeting in Silopi between KDP, PUK, and Iraqi Turkmen Front 
(ITF) reps and representatives of the Turkish General Staff 
to coordinate military plans in an eventual Iraq operation. 
PUK Ankara rep also provided a brief to ONW POLAD Feb. 18. 
Attending for the KDP were "Deputy PM" Sami Abdul Rahman, 
Politburo member Fadhil Merani, Dohuk region peshmerga 
commander Babakir Zebari and Dizayee.  The PUK was 
represented by PUK leader Jalal Talabani and former "Deputy 
PM" and current PUK Irbil Office rep Adnan Mufti.  ITF was 
represented by Chairman Sanan Aga (who arrived in a 
helicopter, to the chagrin of the KDP and PUK reps).  (NOTE: 
Turkish press insistently claimed, despite our denials, that 
a US "general" also participated.)  The TGS emphasized the 
need for logistical coordination to prepare for a 
humanitarian emergency.  The 2/17 meeting only discussed 
generalities.  The TGS offered a follow-up meeting 2/24 or 
2/25 probably in Salahadeen to get into technical details. 
 
 
3. (S/NF) According to Dizayee, the Kurdish side repeated the 
familiar points that they did not envision an exodus as in 
1991, and if a displaced persons emergency did come about, 
the Kurds would actively seek Turkish assistance.  But until 
such a time, the Iraqi Kurds did not see a need for Turkish 
military intervention, which, the Kurds asserted, would draw 
in other regional powers.  The Turks responded that they also 
did not foresee a mass exodus, but based on their 1991 
experience, they had to be prepared for the worst.  The ITF 
used the meeting to complain about opposition conference 
issues and demanded inclusion in the conference preparatory 
committee.  The KDP and the PUK said this meeting was the 
wrong forum for opposition conference discussions and 
declined to take up the issue. 
 
 
4. (S/NF)  The issue of the ITF security officer arrested by 
the KDP on terrorism charges was raised by the Turkish side. 
The KDP stressed that the case was about an individual, and 
was not part of a political vendetta against the ITF.  The 
KDP told the Turks that they had evidence against the 
individual in question showing he was working for "someone 
else."  Dizayee added that the Turkish liaison in Irbil has 
been to see the KDP leadership a few times and claims he has 
a copy of a US report on the matter.  According to Dizayee, 
the Turks asserted that the US agreed with Turkey that this 
was a political act against the ITF. 
 
 
5. (S/NF) Galali said he had spoken by phone with his TGS 
point of contact in Silopi, Itaz Pasha, who attended the 
meeting.  Itaz Pasha told Galali the Turks were unhappy with 
the results of the meeting and that this was the first time 
in recent exchanges Turkey has been unhappy with Jalal 
Talabani.  Talabani apparently told the Turks that not only 
the Iranians, Syrians and Iraqi Arabs would oppose a Turkish 
intervention in northern Iraq, but so would the Iraqi Kurdish 
community.  Itaz Pasha said to Galali, "Tell Mam Jalal that 
like Nelson Mandela, who worked hard for his country but 
today is reduced to travelling around and giving lectures, if 
Talabani adopts Barzani's attitude, he too will become like 
Mandela, with no role."  When Itaz Pasha told Galali the 
Turks only wanted to stop refugees from coming into Turkey, 
Galali asked what the TGS would do if it got a call from 
Sanan Aga to come help the ITF in Irbil.  Itaz Pasha replied 
that the Turks would go to Irbil, as they would if Talabani 
asked for help in Sulaymaniyah.  Galali told him that was why 
the Iraqi Kurds opposed Turkish intervention and that a TGS 
move to aid the ITF in Irbil would lead to chaos, to which 
Itaz Pasha reportedly said "if a war starts, we will come 
into the whole region and no one can stop us." 
 
 
6. (S/NF) Galali said to us, "the Turks want to make camps in 
Iraq and send large numbers of troops.  They tell us they 
want to cooperate with us, but if they send in 50,000 troops, 
how can we stop them from doing what they want whether we 
"cooperate" or not?  Why do they need tens of thousands of 
troops in our area if they are not even participating in the 
war against Saddam?"  Galali urged the US to tell the Turks 
that the US did not need Turkish forces in northern Iraq. 
Noting that the Turks needed to come to the US to get KDP and 
PUK agreement to Turkish deployments in the north, he pleaded 
"please tell them no."  He said that if the Turks decide not 
to support a US operation, the US should send quickly as much 
military force as possible to Harir and Sulaymaniyah by air 
to show the Turks that the US can operate in northern Iraq 
without Turkey's approval.   Galali said, "Every Iraqi Kurd 
is unhappy about the prospect of a Turkish intervention, even 
the PUK.  We know we cannot stop the Turks because the US is 
trying to cooperate with them.  But Turkey must accept our 
rights as the residents of the region.  The Turks now say 
they have the key to the door in northern Iraq and will 
decide who comes and goes.  You must show them you can do 
things in northern Iraq without them.  They do not understand 
your diplomatic language.  They understand power." 
PEARSON