Statements by U.S. Officials

MYTHS ABOUT THE PKK AND THE UNITED STATES

Speech by Special Envoy to Counter the PKK
General (Ret) Joseph Ralston

October 19, 2006 at the ASAM Conference in Istanbul

To the distinguished ministers, distinguished generals, distinguished ambassadors, ladies and gentlemen.  I am especially pleased to be in Istanbul tonight.  First I must tell you that whenever my wife is asked by anyone – because they know she has spent a lot of time traveling to different places in the world – what is her favorite city, she always responds without a moment’s hesitation that it’s Istanbul, Turkey.  Now that may have something to do with the Grand Bazaar, but I think it has more to do with the hospitality of all the citizens of Turkey because we have always been so warmly welcomed in Istanbul whenever we’ve been here.

Secondly, to my good friend General Baser, I am honored to share this podium with him tonight, and I would like to especially thank the Government of Turkey for appointing him as the Special Envoy for Countering the PKK.  General Baser and I have worked together for a number of years.  When I was Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and he was the Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff, there were many, many tough problems that we had to address together and I might add that we always did so successfully.  I don’t think either of us volunteered for the positions we are in today, but when our governments asked us to do that there was really no other answer that we could give.  And I have been particularly pleased that we have had the chance to work together and to address this problem together.  

I’d like to make one thing clear at the outset.  Turkey has no better friend than the United States of America in the fight against the PKK.  If the United States were not committed to the fight against the PKK I would not be here before you this evening.  If the United States were not committed to the fight against the PKK , I would not have made two trips to Baghdad in the last month to spark greater Iraqi action against the PKK.  If the United States were not committed to the fight against the PKK, we would not have the high level of diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation with Turkey that exists today on that problem.  Plain and simple, the U.S. is in this fight with Turkey and will stay in this fight.  I know there are many in Turkey who do not understand or do not believe this point.   I have heard many ill-conceived theories about the United States and the PKK.  And in my view, these ideas are nothing more than myths; they are not reality.

Let me tackle those myths head on this evening. 

Myth Number One:  The United States is not doing anything against the PKK.

And now, the reality:

Like Turkey, the United States considers the PKK a terrorist organization, and officially and legally designated the PKK a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.  It is illegal for U.S. citizens to participate in or provide any material support to the PKK.  We also worked closely with Turkey to get our European allies to also designate the PKK a terrorist organization.

The United States has done more to assist Turkey in its fight against the PKK than any other country.  In full coordination with the Turkish government, we have used our diplomatic, military, and intelligence resources to combat PKK operations, logistics, and fundraising.  This cooperation continues today, and has saved Turkish lives.  

I understand very clearly your need to see concrete results.  We are working very hard with Turkey and the Iraqi government to make concrete, visible progress.  The Iraqi government's statement that it will not permit the PKK to use Iraqi territory for its activity, the closure of some PKK front offices, and the PKK's declaration that it is ceasing hostilities are small steps in the right direction.  But they are not enough, and we will continue to work with Turkey, Iraq, and our European partners to eliminate the PKK threat to Turkey.  

Myth Number Two:  The U.S. is using the PKK as a tool in its regional policy to divide Iraq.

The reality:

The PKK is a terrorist organization, not a tool of U.S. foreign policy.  We are not using and will not use the PKK in any way in Iraq.  

Frankly, the PKK is a danger to the stability of Iraq.  Iraqi officials across the spectrum are starting to recognize that fact, and we are working hard with Turkey and Iraq to eliminate the threat from the PKK to Turkey and to Iraq.  Let me stress the point made by President Bush this week: that the U.S. supports a unified Iraq. 

Myth Number Three:  The U.S. wants to use the trilateral process to force Turkey to negotiate with the PKK.

The reality:

Like Turkey, the United States has been the target and victim of terrorism for many years, and we have developed a clear strategy for dealing with terrorism.  That strategy does NOT involve talking to or negotiating with terrorists.

I want to be clear on this point:  the U.S. will not negotiate with the PKK.  We will not ask Turkey to negotiate with the PKK   And I pledge to you that I will never meet with the PKK. 

Myth Number Four:  The U.S. doesn’t take the PKK issue seriously.  If it did, the U.S. would go into Iraq and easily eliminate the PKK.  

First, all of you see on your television screens every night what we are dealing with in Iraq.  We have 140,000 brave U.S. men and women fighting in Iraq to defeat terrorism and defend the Iraqi government.  Like Turkey, the United States is helping to build an Iraq that is united, stable, democratic, prosperous and at peace with its neighbors.  This is and must remain our number one goal in Iraq.  

Second, as I have said on my previous trips to Turkey, we have not taken any option off the table for dealing with the PKK.  The military option is on the table.  At the same time, as a former military commander, I know that the use of military force must always be the last option for addressing a problem, not the first option.

Third, a military option in Iraq is not easy.  I know from years of personal experience that the Turkish military is skilled, effective, and courageous.  They have previously made great efforts in Iraq to defeat the PKK, but the results of those efforts have been limited.  To defeat the PKK, we will need to employ all the assets in our counterterrorism arsenal -- diplomatic, intelligence, law enforcement, and financial, and  military.  We are working on all of these fronts.

Myth Number Five:  The US is taking no action against the PKK in order to punish TU for the March 1, 2003 vote.

Reality:

I believe many Turks are much more concerned about the March 1 vote than is the U.S.  Turkey has been enormously helpful in our efforts to build the new Iraq – from trade and aid crossing Habur Gate to the use of Incirlik Air Base for crucial support to Iraq's new democratic political process.  We very much value and appreciate this support.  Friends can disagree, but both of us have moved past this issue.  

Turkey is a NATO Ally of long standing.  We fought side-by-side in Korea.  We stand side by side tonight in Afghanistan and the Balkans.  The United States fully supports Turkey’s accession process to become a member of the European Union.  We have a broad range of strategic, economic, social, and cultural relations that are important to both nations.  This is a permanent and enduring relationship based on shared interests and shared values.  These things do not change.

Finally, in conclusion, just let me say that General Baser and I will work tirelessly to try to bring this mission to its successful conclusion.  We will work across the board.  It is not up to us to direct actions to be taken.   It is up to us to bring forward viable options to our respective governments: to the Government of the United States of America, to the Government of Turkey, to the Government of Iraq.  By working together, I am absolutely confident that we can deal with this problem.  I would ask for the patience of the people of this audience, and of the patience of the Turkish people.  This problem was not created in a matter of weeks.  It is not going to be solved in a matter of weeks.  But we are working diligently on it, and we will be successful.  I thank you for your time and for giving me the opportunity to be with you.

ADDITIONAL Q&A

Q.      The US intends to use the IRA model in dealing with the PKK.
A.      You are comparing two very different situations, and mixing apples with oranges.  In the case of the PKK, our objective is to enhance cooperation with the Turkish and Iraqi governments to fight the PKK.  We are also working with European governments to cut the PKK's financial and logistics lifeline.  We will use all of the tools at our disposal:   law enforcement, intelligence, diplomacy, financial pressure.  And we have not taken any other option off the table. 
 
Q.      Why are U.S. officials meeting with PKK officials?
A.        We do not.  I will not.