US embassy cable - 03ANKARA2817

S E C R E T ANKARA 002817 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR P, EUR, EUR/SE, NEA AND NEA/NGA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, PTER, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ AND TURKEY: GOT SAYS SHIFTING FOCUS FROM 
MILITARY PRESENCE TO TRADE AND AID, WANT TO DEVELOP 
RELATIONS W/IRAQI KURDS, GET TURKMEN TO INTEGRATE 
 
 (U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch.  Reasons:  1.5 (B and 
D). 
 
 
1. (S) According to MFA Iraq Department Head Kerim Uras 
(strictly protect), the GOT held a coordination meeting on 
Iraq policy April 26 at which MFA, TNIO and TGS reps agreed 
that Turkey should concentrate more on trade with and aid to 
Iraq, and less on the military issues surrounding the Iraqi 
border.  Uras said there was a broadly shared perception at 
the meeting that due to Kurdish participation with US forces 
in OIF, the US was increasingly listening to the Iraqi Kurds 
and marginalizing the role of Turkey in northern Iraq.  He 
said that while Turkey had been unhappy with Iraqi Kurdish 
behavior at the time Kirkuk and Mosul fell, things were 
getting back on track, and the Turks were calm and determined 
to further develop their relations with the Iraqi Kurds, 
especially via trade.  Uras said the MFA was considering 
sending a delegation to northern Iraq in the near future 
(Deputy U/S Ali Tuygan was scheduled to go there April 10 but 
canceled over developments in Kirkuk). 
 
 
2. (S) On the Iraqi Turkmen, Uras said the meeting assessed 
that slowly the Iraqi Turkmen Front was getting its act 
together but had weak leadership.  The ITF should become more 
aware that it must behave as a component of the new Iraq, 
which required establishing better relations with other local 
groups and more moderate statements and behavior.  Turkey 
believes the Iraqi Turkmen remain vulnerable.  The ITF, he 
said, is opening 30 offices across Iraq. 
 
 
 3. (S) The final issue raised at the meeting, according to 
Uras, was the continuing PKK/KADEK presence in northern Iraq. 
 The Turks observed that the US had coordinated well with 
Iran in "crushing" the MEK, and hoped we would do the same 
with the PKK/KADEK.  Uras added that, in his view, we did not 
need to "crush" the PKK/KADEK, but rather capture them so 
they could serve short prison terms and be "rehabilitated." 
Uras also said the US and Turkey should soon discuss how to 
end the work of the Peace Monitoring Force (PMF).  In 
general, Uras noted, Turkey has been soft on substance 
regarding Iraq but has talked tough, while the Iranians and 
Syrians have taken the opposite tact.  Turkey, he said, was 
fed up with having Syria and Iran hide behind Turkey on these 
issues.  He said Turkey would likely be less tough on 
northern Iraq issues in the near future as it sought to shift 
to a trade focus in relations with the Kurds there. 
PEARSON