VZCZCXRO5268
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHAK #1659/01 0880717
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P 290717Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4367
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// PRIORITY
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0464
RUEPGAB/MNF-I C2X BAGHDAD PRIORITY
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1456
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// PRIORITY
RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU// PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001659 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016 
TAGS: OVIP PACE PETER PREL MOPS MARR PTER TU US
IZ, AF 
SUBJECT: CJCS GEN PACE'S MARCH 23 MEETING WITH PM ERDOGAN 
 
Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Turkey continues to support the Iraqi people 
and coalition efforts, but the PKK, ethnic and religious 
strife, and Kirkuk remain difficult issues for the GOT, Prime 
Minister Erdogan told CJCS Gen Pace March 23.  Erdogan 
praised the U.S.-Turkey strategic partnership and hoped the 
relationship would deepen.  Gen Pace appreciated Turkey's 
efforts in the GWOT -- including in Afghanistan and Iraq -- 
and told the PM that Iraqi-Turkish-U.S. action against the 
PKK in Iraq can only happen after the Iraqi government is 
strong enough to defend itself.  End summary. 
 
Erdogan: U.S.-Turkey Partnership Continues... 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) PM Erdogan reviewed U.S.-Turkey strategic relations. 
He welcomed the resumption of High-Level Defense Group 
meetings, and noted our two countries have an "efficient" 
alliance in broad areas, adding that Turkey is pleased that 
this cooperation is increasingly "enriched and strengthened." 
 
 
..But Still Many Concerns About Iraq 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) Moving quickly to Iraq, Erdogan expressed concern over 
ethnic and sectarian violence, and noted that for the first 
time political leaders in Iraq are talking openly of the 
possibility of civil war.  The PM emphasized that Turkey will 
continue to contribute to reconstruction and democratization 
in Iraq.  He highlighted five issues which have always been 
crucial for Turkey in Iraq: 
 
--Iraq's territorial integrity must be maintained. 
--No single ethnic group should be permitted dominate the 
others. 
--No single religious group or sect should be permitted 
dominate the others. 
--Iraq's natural resources belong to all its people. 
--Kirkuk province should enjoy a special status. 
 
Ankara has consistently stated that these five issues should 
be enshrined in Iraq's constitution, Erdogan pointed out, 
"but we haven't had success in this so far."  He hoped the 
next GOI will consider these points seriously. 
 
¶4. (C) The PM recounted his government's efforts to encourage 
Sunni participation in Iraq's elections, then moved to 
Turkey's material support for Iraq, including provision of 
petroleum products and electricity, assignment of personnel 
in Iraq and training for 54 Iraqi officers in Turkey during 
2005 under NTM-I (with plans to offer more such training in 
2006), overflight clearances granted for OIF flights, and 
permission for use of Incirlik Air Base for refueling tankers 
and the multi-directional cargo hub. 
 
PKK Still an Issue 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Erdogan emphasized that Turkey remains "uncomfortable" 
with the continued PKK presence in northern Iraq.  He warned 
that the PKK will soon contribute to instability within Iraq. 
 He said he has personally expressed these concerns to 
President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and Secretary Rice, 
but Turkey has seen no concrete action against the PKK in 
Iraq.  This lack of activity encourages the PKK, he averred, 
and the Turkish public remains concerned.  The Makhmour 
refugee camp in northern Iraq remains under PKK control.  The 
PM asked that the U.S. help to eliminate the PKK presence in 
the camp and that the camp be closed ASAP.  Erdogan welcomed 
U.S. initiatives to disrupt PKK activities in Europe, but 
added that the PKK's presence in Iraq is of vital importance 
for cooperation "between two strategic allies." 
 
Gen Pace: We Appreciate Turkey's Contribution to GWOT 
 
ANKARA 00001659  002 OF 003 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶6. (C) Gen Pace responded that he came to Turkey to listen 
and to learn how the U.S. and Turkey can remain strong 
partners.  He noted the two countries' strong mil-to-mil 
relations over the decades, and that these should continue. 
The Chairman thanked Turkey for its strong support in the 
GWOT.  He recalled that Turkey took the lead in Afghanistan 
early and has sustained this effort to the great benefit of 
the Afghan people.  Additionally, he appreciated the GOT's 
assistance for OIF and the Iraqi people. 
 
Chairman: Stability in Iraq Vital Before Dealing with PKK 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶7. (C) Gen Pace said he understood Turkey's frustration that 
it has fought the PKK for decades, but the terrorists still 
operate in northern Iraq.  He reaffirmed the U.S.'s firm 
position that the PKK is a terrorist organization and that we 
need to take action against them in Iraq.  However, we are 
currently too burdened by ongoing violence in Iraq to carry 
the additional weight of kinetic action against the PKK. 
Until we can do so, the USG will continue its efforts in 
Europe.  Our intent is to provide security in Iraq so that 
the GOI can stand up and defend itself.  At that point Iraq, 
Turkey, and the United States can work together against the 
PKK. 
 
Erdogan on Terrorism: No Religion, No Territory, 
Asymmetrical 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶8. (C) Erdogan hoped that these vital issues in Iraq are 
solved as soon as possible so the Iraqi people can live in 
peace and democracy.  He noted that 4000 trucks cross the 
Turkey-Iraq border every day, and that over 100 Turkish 
citizens have lost their lives in attacks there, including 
many who were providing support for U.S. bases there.  The 
GOT hopes that the violence in Iraq will stop, but for now 
Iraq has become a "playground" for terrorist groups.  These 
groups also can exploit media outlets in the region to get 
their message out. 
 
¶9. (C) The PM underscored his belief that terrorism has no 
religion, territory, or region.  Today terrorism is 
international in scope, and the U.S. knows best of all that 
it is asymmetric, thus making us all vulnerable.  Erdogan 
noted Turkey's dramatic experiences with terrorism, including 
30,000 dead in the fight against the PKK, but asserted that 
Turks feel sorrow for terrorists acts committed anywhere, be 
in New York, Madrid, Sharm el-Sheikh, or anywhere else.  This 
is the reason Turkish troops serve in Afghanistan and why 
Turkey's contributions to the GWOT will continue. 
 
CJCS: We Must Work to Accommodate Differences 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (C) Gen Pace agreed with Erdogan's analysis, noting that 
Iraq is now the "center of gravity" in the GWOT.  If we were 
not in Iraq, he emphasized, we would see the problems we now 
see in Iraq in Afghanistan instead.  Iraq is more accessible 
to terrorists than was Afghanistan, and thanks to the our 
coalition in Afghanistan -- including Turkey -- the Afghan 
people now have a chance to prosper.  Furthermore, the 
Chairman said, if we were neither in Afghanistan nor Iraq, 
many more of our cities would be under attack. 
 
¶11. (C) Gen Pace thanked Turkey for hosting the March 23-24 
symposium on terrorism (at which the Chairman spoke on March 
24).  Such a conference gives the international community the 
opportunity to come together and understand where we agree 
and, more important, disagree, so that we can work to 
accommodate these differences.  Erdogan underscored the 
importance Turkey assigns to the terrorism issue.  He hoped 
the U.S. and Turkey would continue to expand our CT 
cooperation, noting the importance of intelligence sharing. 
 
ANKARA 00001659  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶12. (U) CJCS cleared this cable. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
MCELDOWNEY