General (Ret) Joseph Ralston

MYTHS ABOUT THE PKK AND THE UNITED STATES

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

Delivered October 19, 2006 at the ASAM Conference in Istanbul

Introduction

I know that you are all anxious to hear what I am going to say

I want to make one thing clear at the outset:  Turkey has no better friend than the United States 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 past 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 that there are many in Turkey who do not understand or believe this point.  I have heard many ill-conceived theories about the United States and the PKK.  These ideas are nothing more than myths.

Let me tackle those myths head on this evening.

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

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 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 recognize that fact, and we are working hard with Turkey and Iraq to eliminate the threat from the PKK to Turkey and to Iraq. 

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

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 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.  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. 

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, in addition to 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 Turkey for the March 1, 2003 vote.

I believe many Turks are much more concerned about the March 1 vote than we are.  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 on. 
 
Turkey is a NATO Ally of long standing.  We fought side-by-side in Korea.  We stand side by side 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.

CONCLUSION
ADDITIONAL Q&A

Q. Does the U.S. intend 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.