US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1595

S E C R E T ANKARA 001595 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, TU, IZ, Iraq 
SUBJECT: IRAQI OPPOSITION TALKS IN ANAKARA: TURKS ON BOARD 
FOR THREE SETS OF TALKS 
 
REF: A. STATE 66506 
     B. ANKARA 1512 
     C. ANKARA 1487 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert S. Deutsch.  Reasons 1.5(b) and 
(d). 
 
 
1.  This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 5. 
 
 
2.  (S) On March 13, DCM met MFA Director General for the 
Middle East Burcuoglu and delivered Ref A points.  Burcuoglu 
agreed to the following schedule: 
 
 
-- US-TU bilaterals, with Turkey represented by Deputy U/S 
Tuygan, at 17:00 on March 14, followed by a March 15 session 
from 10:00 to 13:00.  A TGS representative, as well as other 
Turkish representatives, are TBD.  DCM committed to informing 
the Turks as soon as possible regarding the identity of 
representatives from OVP and CENTCOM. 
 
 
-- US-TU-KDP-PUK-ITF talks on March 18.  The GOT proposes 
that it inform the KDP, PUK, and ITF to prepare to meet in 
Ankara on that day.  However, the Turks intend to await the 
outcome of the bilats before issuing formal invitations to 
the other three parties. 
 
 
-- Talks with the wider Iraqi opposition late on March 18 or, 
more probably, on March 19.  As with the earlier March 18 
five-party meeting, the GOT intends to inform the wider 
opposition of the possibility of a meeting, but will refrain 
from issuing formal invitations until the bilats are 
underway, at the earliest. 
 
 
3.  (S) Burcuoglu questioned whether the KDP, PUK, and ITF 
would be prepared to meet with the wider opposition, and 
suggested that we discuss this issue further at the bilats. 
The GOT is not willing to present the meeting with the wider 
Iraqi opposition as a meeting with the "Leadership Committee" 
unless an ITF representative has become a committee member. 
Burcuoglu said that if the ITF were represented on the 
Leadership Committee by March 18, it would "facilitate 
everything.8 
 
 
4.  (S) DCM forcefully reminded Burcuoglu that, in the 
absence of Turkish parliamentary permission for a US troop 
deployment in Turkey, we cannot present positions to the 
Kurds based on the military MOU or the economic and political 
joint statements.  Moreover, DCM reminded Burcuoglu of the 
USG,s firm opposition to a unilateral Turkish deployment in 
northern Iraq.  He stressed that in the meetings we would be 
focused on ending provocations and avoiding conflict. 
Burcuoglu responded that the GOT would tell the Kurds that if 
Turkish troops were to enter Iraq, it would only be on the 
basis of coordination with the USG.  He acknowledged that the 
GOT fully understands the USG position on Turkish troops in 
northern Iraq. 
 
 
5.  (S) Action Requested: Please advise on the remaining 
composition of the delegation, including an authoritative 
CENTCOM participant.  We will also need resolution of the ITF 
membership in the Leadership Committee issue now. 
 
 
PEARSON