Cablegate: Somalia and Piracy: Turkey Interested in Possibly

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0382 0581435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271435Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5391
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0124
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2854

UNCLAS ANKARA 000382

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

IO/UNP FOR JOE FITZGERALD
L/OES FOR ASH ROACH
AF/RSA FOR JUN BANDO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KCRM PBTS PREL UNSC EWWT TU SO UN
SUBJECT: SOMALIA AND PIRACY: TURKEY INTERESTED IN POSSIBLY
SUPPORTING UNSCR

REF: STATE 18101

1. (SBU) We discussed reftel with MFA Department Head for
Maritime Affairs, Mehmet Poroy, on February 27. Poroy
provided us with some background on Turkey's previous
engagement on this issue. Because of Turkey's involvement in
the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the IMO
Secretary General began discussing the issue with Turkey

SIPDIS
prior to sending his letter to the UN requesting
consideration of possible actions to address piracy off the
Somali coast. In mid-2007, Turkey provided its input to the
IMO and supported a proposed plan that would request the
Somali Government's permission for non-Somali naval ships to
pursue and apprehend pirates in Somali territorial waters.
As part of NATO, Turkey has also been consulted on the issue
by IMO.

2. (SBU) Poroy was pleased that the USG plans to include the
Somali Government (TFG) in its discussions about any possible
UN Security Council resolutions or UN action. He added that
while Turkey does not have an official policy on the issue,
it has already expressed its support for any action that
would call for TFG authorization to conduct naval operations
in Somali territorial waters. He suggested that USG
representatives approach GOT representatives at the UN to
discuss possible cooperation and agreed to share this
information with Turkey's Defense and Justice Ministries as
well as with its mission to the UN.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON

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