Cablegate: Has the Frg Changed Its View of the Pkk?

R 151642Z SEP 88
FM AMEMBASSY BONN
TO AMEMBASSY ANKARA
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 1196
AMCONSUL ADANA
AMCONSUL IZMIR
AMCONSUL ISTANBUL

UNCLAS BONN 31258

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER PHUM GE TU
SUBJECT: HAS THE FRG CHANGED ITS VIEW OF THE PKK?

REF: ANKARA 11311

1. WE SUSPECT THAT WHAT THE "TERCUMAN" COLUMNIST IS
REFERRING TO IN CLAIMING THAT THE GERMANS VIEW THE PKK AS
A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION (REFTEL) IS THE ASSERTION IN THE
GOVERNMENT'S MOST RECENT INTERNAL SECURITY REPORT
(VERFASSUNGSSCHUTZBERICHT), COVERING DEVELOPMENTS IN 1987,
THAT "IN TURKEY THE PKK OPERATES IN AN OPENLY TERRORISTIC
MANNER." THIS ASSERTION DID NOT APPEAR IN THE PREVIOUS
YEAR'S REPORT. OUR CONTACTS IN THE INTERIOR MINISTRY HAVE
CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION IN THEIR MINDS BUT
THAT THE PKK USES TERRORIST TACTICS AND HAS PERPETRATED
TERRORIST ACTS.

2. WHETHER THE PKK OR PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PKK
HAVE ENGAGED IN WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED AS TERRORIST ACTS
ON GERMAN SOIL IS AN ISSUE THAT IS PRESENTLY BEFORE THE
COURTS. FOLLOWING A SERIES OF VIOLENT CRIMES (INCLUDING
MURDER AND ARSON) APPARENTLY PERPETRATED BY PKK MEMBERS IN
GERMANY, AND SEARCHES OF SEVERAL APARTMENTS BELONGING TO
PKK MEMBERS, THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR INITIATED AN
INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER A TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION HAD BEEN FORMED IN THE FRG ON THE PERIPHERY
OF THE PKK, THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT OF KURDISTAN
(ERNK) AND THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY OF KURDISTAN
(ARGK). (NOTE THAT THIS INVESTIGATION IS NOT DESIGNED TO
DETERMINE WHETHER THE PKK IN GERMANY IS AS SUCH A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.) AT THE SAME TIME, SOME TWENTY
PKK MEMBERS ARE DUE TO COME TO TRIAL THIS FALL ON CHARGES
OF MURDER, ARSON, OCCUPATION ACTIONS AND THE LIKE. THE
GERMAN AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THEY HAVE A STRONG CASE AGAINST
A NUMBER OF THESE INDIVIDUALS; BUT THAT IT WOULD BE MORE
DIFFICULT TO PROVE THAT THE PKK ITSELF (IN THE FRG) IS A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.

3. WE ARE FOR THE MOMENT UNABLE TO GET A DEFINITIVE
OPINION ON WHETHER THE FACT THAT THE GERMAN INTERNAL
SECURITY AUTHORITIES CONSIDER THE PKK (IN TURKEY) TO BE A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION RENDERS ITS MEMBERS INELIGIBLE FOR
POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE FRG.

BURT

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