This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004906 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE AND NEA/I 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2005 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MOPS TU IZ PKK
SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA ON PKK TRILATERAL FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 4873 
     ¶B. STATE 149796 
 
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Timothy A. Betts, reasons 
 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  See paragraph 8. 
 
¶2. (S) SUMMARY: Per Ref A request, PolMilCouns and Deputy 
PolMilCouns on Aug. 19 presented to MFA Deputy Director 
General (DDG) for Security Affairs Bicakli the Framework for 
Action resulting from the recent PKK Trilateral Talks. 
Bicakli confirmed that the list was consistent with the 
read-out provided by Director General Guven, the Turkish 
delegation head to the talks.  He did, however, express 
confusion about the Iraqi request for additional information 
to support Turkey's case for the extradition of individuals 
in Iraq who were listed on Interpol Red Notices.  He also 
inquired about the timing of the next trilateral talks and 
the status of the US proposal for bilateral actions against 
the PKK in Europe.  Bicakli echoed the concerns raised by 
Deputy Undersecretary Sensoy two days earlier about PKK flags 
flying in various Iraqi cities (Ref a).  Bicakli also stated 
that Iraq is ready to extradite to Turkey one of the two 
individuals wanted in connection with the 2003 Istanbul 
bombings.  On Kongra Gel Party Chairman Zubeyir Aydar's 
aborted plan to announce in Brussels a temporary PKK 
cease-fire, Bicakli said the Belgian government had been 
reminded of the Interpol Red Notice on him.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (C) In the absence of Director General for Security 
Affairs Ambassador Hayati Guven, the Turkish delegation head 
to the Aug. 6 PKK trilateral talks held in Washington, who 
was on vacation, PolMilCouns presented DDG Huseyin Avni 
Bicakli with the list of follow-on actions agreed to at the 
talks.  Bicakli confirmed that the list is consistent with 
the read-out provided by Guven before he went on leave and 
promised to share it with the Ministries of Interior and 
Justice.  He did, however, ask why the Iraqis had requested 
additional information from Turkey on individuals named in 
Interpol Red Notices to support Turkey's extradition requests 
since the Red Notice alone should suffice.  He questioned 
whether the additional information was needed in order for 
Iraq to arrest them or to extradite them.  Drawing from 
reftel b, PolMilCouns noted that this likely referred to 
information that the Turkish judge present at the talks had 
agreed to transfer on specific individuals. 
 
TIMING OF NEXT TALKS? 
--------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Saying he understood the next talks would take place 
in October, Bicakli wondered whether they would be held in 
Turkey or in Iraq.  PolMilCouns recalled Guven saying on Aug. 
8 that he understood the talks would take place on the 
margins of the next meeting of the Neighboring Country 
Interior Ministers, which was currently scheduled for January 
2006, but offered to get clarification on the place and date. 
 
 
IRAQ READY TO EXTRADITE ONE OF TWO ISTANBUL BOMBING SUSPECTS 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶5. (S) According to Bicakli, Turkey's Ambassador to Iraq, 
Unal Cevikoz, reported that one of the two individuals caught 
in Iraq who were suspected of participating in the 2003 
Istanbul bombings had been processed through the Iraqi 
judicial system and was ready for extradition.  According to 
Bicakli, US, Iraqi and Turkish officials in Baghdad would 
meet the week of Aug. 22 to discuss the extradition 
arrangements.  Turkey welcomed this development. 
 
PKK FLAGS EVERYWHERE 
-------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Bicakli reiterated concerns raised by Deputy U/S 
Sensoy with Charge on Aug. 18 that Turkish sources had 
identified three PKK flags flying in Baghdad, Tuz Khurmatu 
and Mosul (ref a).  According to Bicakli, the Turkish Embassy 
in Baghdad had confirmed that a PKK flag is flying above a 
Kurdistan Democratic Solutions Party (KDSP) building in 
Palestine Square in Central Baghdad; intelligence sources 
claimed a large PKK flag was located inside of the Ocalan 
Cultural Center in the Mansour neighborhood in Mosul and 
outside a building in Tuz Khurmatu.  When asked whether 
Turkey had raised its concerns with the Iraqis, Bicakli, like 
Sensoy, said Turkey had not "yet" raised it with Iraq, but 
defensively added that the Turkish Ambassador in Iraq doesn't 
need to be instructed on this; he has the authority to 
approach Iraq on his own. 
 
BELGIAN WELCOMING COMMITTEE FOR KGK CHAIR AYDAR 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶7. (C) When asked about the MFA's response to Kongra Gel 
Party Chairman Zubeyir Aydar's announcement that he would 
travel from northern Iraq to Brussels to announce a one-month 
PKK cease-fire, Bicakli said the MFA had "reminded" Belgium 
of the 2004 Interpol Red  Notice on Aydar.  The Belgium 
authorities had responded by canceling Aydar's planned press 
conference, which had been scheduled to take place in a 
government facility.  If Aydar did enter Belgium, Turkey was 
promised that he would be detained.  However, according to 
Bicakli, Belgium would not extradite him to Turkey but would 
deport him to Switzerland where he has refugee status. 
(Note: Turkish press reported on Aug. 22 that the PKK did 
announce on Aug. 20 a temporary cease-fire but did not 
indicate where the announcement had been made.  End Note.) 
 
¶8. (S) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: Post requests 
clarification on the timing and location of the next 
trilateral talks and confirmation that Iraqi authorities are 
only looking for additional information on specific 
individuals discussed at the talks.  We would recommend 
against the next trilateral meeting taking place on the 
margins of the next meeting of the Interior Ministers of 
Iraq,s neighbors because we worry about public perceptions 
of an appearance of US participation in the "neighbors 
process."  Additionally, post would welcome input from 
Washington or Baghdad confirming that Iraq is prepared to 
begin the process to extradite one of the two Istanbul 
bombing suspects.  END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST. 
MCELDOWNEY