(SECRET/NOFORN) Summary: MNF-I MGEN Stephen Hummer led
a MNF-I/EMB Baghdad group, accompanied by MSNSA Staff MGEN
Fukaiki, to the Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Office (TISO)
on November 25.
Full Document
ClassificationSECRET//NOFORN Header
VZCZCXRO5356
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3133 3361443
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 021443Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5616
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0680
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0145
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
Content
S E C R E T BAGHDAD 003133
NOFORN
SIPDIS
NSC FOR MPHEE, PVROOMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2019
TAGS: PREL, PTER, MARR, PINR, SNAR, TU, IZ
SUBJECT: TRILATERAL COUNTER-PKK COOPERATION REMAINS ON TRACK
REF: BAGHDAD 3056
Classified By: PMA M/C AMB C. MUNTER; REASONS 1.4 B&D.
1. (SECRET/NOFORN) Summary: MNF-I MGEN Stephen Hummer led
a MNF-I/EMB Baghdad group, accompanied by MSNSA Staff MGEN
Fukaiki, to the Trilateral Intelligence Sharing Office (TISO)
on November 25. Bilateral U.S.-GoI (with KRG host)
discussions on the margins with hosting KRG Zerevani
(paramilitary police) MGEN Delshad explained in helpful
additional detail how KRG and GoI border forces coordinate to
operate a layered system to monitor the Turkish-Iraqi-border.
Subsequent reviews of actual TISO targeting packages
revealed the increased quality of trilateral targeting
efforts and, inter alia, pointed to follow-on efforts to
develop nominations for INTERPOL red notices for potential
PKK/Kongra Gel targets. TISO representatives also consulted
on a planned December 12-13 assessment visit to Ibrahim
Khalil-Habur gate on the Turkish-Iraqi border. End Summary.
2. (SECRET) MNF-I MGEN Hummer led a MNF-I/EMB Baghdad group,
accompanied by MSNSA Staff MGEN Fukaiki, to the TISO on
November 25. Overall, the meeting was very positive and the
cooperation was encouraging with favorable atmospherics. The
group discussed the concept of the visit to the Ibrahim
Khalil-Habur gate on/or about December 12-13. MGEN Delshad
and MGEN Fukaiki both welcomed the visit and looked forward
to whatever technological improvement suggestions U.S.
experts might make for the Iraqi Directorate of Border
Enforcement (DBE) as a result of the assessment which the
trip will afford. Both Delshad and Fukaiki welcomed as full a
role for Turkey in the visit as Ankara is prepared to play,
including a possible visit by the trilateral group to the
Turkish side of the border. (Note: EMB Ankara reports that
the GoT plans to send a delegation to participate in the
visit. End Note.)
3. (CONFIDENTIAL) - MGEN Delshad also explained in some
useful detail how the IBP and KRG Zerevani work in a layered
border patrol system with Zerevani in support of actual IBP
on the border itself. Delshad welcomed potential U.S.
technological assistance to enhance border monitoring,
communication within Zerevani and with other KRG authorities,
and with IBP. Delshad was plain that communications is the
Achilles Heel for the Zerevani, saying his forces mainly rely
on cell phones or limited face-to-face contact with the Iraqi
Border Patrol (IBP). He was proud that Zerevani junior
officers are being trained now in an Iraqi Federal Police
Academy in Baghdad and has built a Zerevani training academy
in the vicinity of Erbil to use those graduates as trainers
for further Zerevani professional development. He invited
MGEN Hummer to visit the site on a future trip to Erbil.
4. (CONFIDENTIAL) - MGEN Delshad said that the PKK/Kongra
Gel is involved in narcotics trafficking through
transportation and associated services, like protection. He
said that Asayeesh (Kurdish security services) has the lead
on counter-narcotics. He also said that there is no market
for narcotics in the KRG. MGEN Fukaiki,s aide, Mr. Safa,
said that the PKK regularly uses the border seams to traffic
narcotics from Iran through the mountains west to Turkey and
onward to the European market.
FORD