Cablegate: Government of Turkey Promulgates Policy For
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
121558Z May 04
UNCLAS ANKARA 002694
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR DS/CR/CIL
ROME, ATHENS FOR IMMIGRATION ATTACHE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC EAIR
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY PROMULGATES POLICY FOR
DEPORTATIONS TRANSITING THROUGH TURKEY
1. The Government of Turkey (GOT) has recently promulgated
clear guidelines for the transiting of deportees through
their airports. These procedures are in effect immediately
and apply to all countries that move deportees through
Turkey (Istanbul's Ataturk Airport in most instances). BICE
must revise their current notification practices in order to
conform to GOT policy.
2. Third country nationals who are being deported to their
country of citizenship may only transit through Turkey in
accordance with the rules provided below (translation of
diplomatic note received 5/6/04):
A. The requests for transiting nationals of third country
must be sent to the Ministry of Interior 15 days prior to
the travel. The request should include the identity
information and citizenship of the third country national
and the identity information of the accompanying escorts, as
well as the flight details and dates of the travel. Any
changes on the flight destination and the date should be
reported 5 days prior to the travel.
B. The sender country can only implement the travel after
the Ministry of Interior authorizes it.
C. The escorts accompanying the third country national
should make the necessary arrangements with the Istanbul
Airport Protection Section officials and only then will the
third country national and the escorts be allowed to transit
through Istanbul without entering into the country.
D. The Embassy of the sender country should confirm that
the officials of other third country to where the SUBJECT
will be transiting authorize the transit.
E. If the third country national is denied entry into the
country of citizenship, the sender country is required to
pay all necessary travel expenses to return the SUBJECT back
to the sender country. (end diplomatic note translation)
3. Please note that the transit cannot take place until the
Turkish Ministry of Interior authorizes the request.
Embassy does not see an issue with BICE planning for a
deportation once the advance notification is submitted, in
accordance with GOT procedures. Embassy will alert BICE
only if a request is not approved prior to the deportation
date.
4. Embassy Ankara and Consulate General Istanbul are ready
to assist BICE in coordinating these deportation requests.
All required information should be sent in the country
clearance request. Once received, Embassy will prepare a
diplomatic note alerting the proper GOT authorities. With
the required advance notification we can continue to work
with airport Protection Section officials (c, above) in
preparation for ICE agent arrivals. Embassy will require
BICE to provide confirmation that the country receiving the
deportee will accept him/her (d, above) as part of the
country clearance request. We advise strict adherence to
the notification deadlines, as the GOT will hold fast to
this timeframe. Edelman