Cablegate: Blue Lantern Level 3: Pre-License End Use Check On

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ANKARA 002131

SIPDIS

PM/DTCC -- BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR TIM WATKINS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KOMC ETTC TU
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON
LICENSE 05-957032 AND 05-950176

REF: STATE 51323

1. On April 7, 2005, Embassy Blue Lantern Officer met with
officials from Aselsan Corporation responsible for reftel
procurement to Turkey (License Appl. 05-950176). Present
were Program Manager Fikri Atmaca, Technical Director for the
Electronics Hardware Department Serhat Salih Erzin and
Purchasing Agent Fidan Cetinkaya, who were responsible for
the acquisition and use of the Digital Frequency
Discriminator. Atmaca was the contact named in reftel.

2. The Aselsan officials presented documentation regarding
the order referenced in the license application, including
information on the end user, which matched details contained
in reftel. They also provided information regarding previous
orders from US firms. Erzin explained that the instrument
would be used by Aselsan in signals monitoring and collection
research and development. It is a tool in the R&D process
that will be kept at Aselsan and not exported. Aselsan
officials added that the instrument does not support the
fabrication or development of systems that are exported. One
instrument will initially be tested, with additional
instruments requested if it meets the engineering and other
requirements of the basic research it will support.

3. As background, Aselsan was founded in 1975 to produce
tactical military radios and defense electronic systems for
the Turkish Army, but has expanded its customer base since
then to include public and private organizations for both
Turkish and foreign customers in the area of modern
electronic defense systems.

4. With respect to case 05-957032, Embassy has submitted a
request to Turkish authorities to verify the legitimacy of
the transaction described in reftel and is waiting for a
reply. Turkish General Staff's (TGS) response will be
reported septel.
EDELMAN

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