US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4856

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004856 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY: MORE ON DEHAP PLAN TO VISIT PKK/KADEK IN 
IRAQ 
 
 
REF: ANKARA 4848 
 
 
(U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires a.i. Robert S. Deutsch. 
Reason:1.5(b)(d) 
 
 
1. (C) July 31, following delivery of reftel points to DEHAP 
regarding the party's planned Aug. 4 delegation to PKK/KADEK 
members in northern Iraq, Diyarbakir Mayor Feridun Celik, a 
delegation leader, called in Ankara requesting a meeting. 
(Note: as reported reftel, GOT officials had told us the 
delegation was already in Iraq.  End note). 
 
 
2. (S) With Celik at the venue were two influential Kurds: 1) 
Ihsan Arslan (strictly protect throughout), an AK Party 
Diyarbakir M.P. and Kurdish activist close to P.M. Erdogan. 
Arslan is also the de facto right-hand man of AK Vice 
Chairman Firat on Kurdish issues; and 2) an independent 
Kurdish source with excellent access to both Kurdish 
nationalist and Islamic circles. 
 
 
3. (S) A/Polcouns reiterated reftel points to Celik, who 
acknowledged them and offered the following: 
 
 
-- The GOT's current reintegration law is like previous 
versions and will not bring significant numbers of PKK/KADEK 
members down from the mountains (note: a view shared by 
Kurdish and other observers across the political spectrum. 
End note); 
 
 
-- The law comes in the context of rising tensions in the 
Kurdish southeast.  The PKK/KADEK is preparing to go on the 
offensive beginning September 1 unless the situation changes; 
 
 
-- Consequently, the situation "is not as simple as just 
passing a law calling for them (PKK/KADEK) to submit."  DEHAP 
has legitimate political -- vice "propaganda" -- reasons for 
making the trip: promoting peace and heading off a return to 
violence.  The party's constituents are increasingly 
concerned about the situation and are pressing for action by 
DEHAP; 
 
 
-- DEHAP is fully aware that the elements of the Turkish 
State could use the trip to retaliate against the party.  In 
this regard, however, Celik noted that: 1) DEHAP is already 
facing threat of closure; 2) "They (Turkish authorities) 
already have Ocalan (incarcerated PKK leader), which means 
they already have enough information" to shut DEHAP down at 
any time; 3) DEHAP is convinced that it will not be allowed 
to stand in the upcoming nationwide, local elections 
(currently scheduled for spring 2004); DEHAP members are used 
to having their parties shut down and going to jail. 
 
 
---------------------------- 
Arslan: Could Be a Good Idea 
---------------------------- 
 
 
4. (S) Arslan (strictly protect) offered that the DEHAP trip 
might have a positive effect, though it entails risks.  It 
may serve as a pretext for Turkish State pressure on DEHAP 
that could also poison the general atmosphere in Turkey. 
Celik interjected to A/Polcouns that senior AK members, 
including Firat, had responded to DEHAP in a similarly 
positive way regarding the planned delegation.  Arslan added 
that the AK Government would never formally or publicly 
endorse such a plan; nevertheless, he agreed to Celik's 
request to try to broker another meeting for Celik with 
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu. 
 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
 
 
5. (S) Turkish press reports Aug. 1 that some 451 members of 
a variety of terrorist organizations have applied for 
"re-integration" under the law, even though it has yet to be 
approved by President Sezer (and might in fact be vetoed). 
The press also predicts that the figure may eventually reach 
3,000; so far, there are no precise indications as to how 
many of these applicants are or were once affiliated with the 
PKK/KADEK.  In this context, it is worth noting, as the 
Interior Ministry SecGen told us recently, that one feature 
of the law is specifically designed to appeal to people still 
in Turkey -- not, that is, hard-core PKK/KADEK elements in 
Iraq -- who for various reasons may have provided food or 
other support to PKK/KADEK and are now worried about their 
situation.  The legal provision allowing such people to turn 
themselves in without punishment is intended to last for only 
six months after publication of the law. 
 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
 
6. (S) There is clearly more going on here than a simple 
DEHAP publicity stunt.  According to the independent Kurdish 
source, Celik is trying to move DEHAP away from knee-jerk 
response to PKK/KADEK equities; Celik's own comments to us 
suggest as much.  The view of the AK official is particularly 
noteworthy, given his connections and track record.  In 1996 
he visited northern Iraq as part of an unofficial delegation, 
backed by then P.M. Erbakan, to make contact with PKK 
representatives.  While AK would probably approve of anything 
that would help bring the PKK down from the mountains, the 
party brass will almost certainly ensure that their 
fingerprints are nowhere near the DEHAP delegation -- should 
DEHAP go though with its plan. 
DEUTSCH