Cablegate: Exbs: Turkey Advisors Monthly Report - (September 2008)

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1787/01 2891405
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151405Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7680
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC

UNCLAS ANKARA 001787

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NP/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, BGOLDEN
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE - KFITZPATRICK, BHUNT, PMALIK
DOE/NNSA - TPERRY, LPARKER, RTALLEY, EDESCHLER
CBP/INA - BPICKETT
DOC FOR DCREED

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT - (SEPTEMBER 2008)

Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle appropriately.

1. Summary: Activities this month focused primarily on executing the
Sept. 17-18
Nonproliferation Seminar and making arrangements for the Customs VIP
visit to the U.S. in November. EXBS also accompanied DOE/SLD rep to
meetings with the Turkish national Police in support of their
program. End Summary.

2. Completed Actions for the Reporting Period:
The 17-18 September Nonproliferation Seminar, co-sponsored by the
Office of Export Control Cooperation (ISN/ECC) and the Turkish MFA,
brought together fifteen U.S. and over thirty Turkish officials with

nonproliferation, export control and border security
responsibilities.
Following the conclusion of the bi-lateral nonproliferation
agreement in June 2008, the seminar provided an opportunity to
present to the GOT interagency representatives an overview
of the EXBS program and other U.S. programs available to support
bilateral nonproliferation
cooperation. The seminar highlighted opportunities for bilateral
cooperation
to strengthen Turkey's nonproliferation regime. MFA Deputy Director
General
for Nonproliferation Ahmet Muhtar Gun welcomed the U.S.
presentations, pledged to conduct an internal needs assessment to
deconflict activities that Turkey is undertaking with the EU, and
promised a GOT
interagency-agreed response to the various areas of possible
engagement with the U.S.
Gun emphasized the need for timely and accurate intelligence to
ensure effective
coordination in cases involving sensitive shipments, and urged the
U.S. to press
countries of origin to do more to prevent the shipment of
proliferation-sensitive goods.
(Reftel ANKARA 01721)

A. Meetings During Recent Reporting Period by EXBS Advisor
and Coordinator:

1) Sep 5th-EXBS Advisor and Coordinator met with representatives of
the European Commission to Turkey, Trade Officer Arslan Umut Ergezer
and Sector Manager Burce Ari. We discussed the latest visits paid by
EU experts to the land border gates in eastern and western part of
Turkey. According to draft EU assessments, most of the gates in
eastern Turkey need major renovation and infrastructure work. We
requested a copy of the report but our request was declined since
the report is considered confidential and has not been approved by
EU HQ in Belgium.

2) Sep 12th-EXBS Advisor and Coordinator met with Deputy DG of
Customs Enforcement Mehmet Guzel. We discussed the possible dates
for the proposed senior Customs/Customs Enforcement delegation visit
to the U.S. DHS/CBP HQ, National Targeting Center, Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center, Port of Charleston, Port of San Ysidro,
and John F. Kennedy International Airport. We agreed that the
delegation will consist of Head of Department or above level and
Director General of Customs Enforcement Neset Akkoc will head the
delegation. This visit is tentatively scheduled for November 12-24.

3) Sep 19th- EXBS Advisor, TDY Advisor, EXBS Coordinator and DoE/SLD
Program Manager Erik Deschler met with TNP External Affairs Head of
Department Recep Gultekin and Ahmet Yayla from TNP Counter Terrorism
Division. Mr.Gultekin thanked DOE and EXBS for to the ongoing
cooperation and the handheld pager training conducted at TNP Bomb
Disposal Unit in Golbasi. Advisor also thanked Mr.Gultekin for
their hospitality provided to the training team and the support
provided by his office during the training. Mr.Gultekin requested
to have the same training for the remainder of the bomb disposal
specialists and asked about the possibility of providing additional
pagers, survey meters and radiation isotope identifiers. Deschler
stated that they were ready to provide more equipment and the
training for the remainder of the specialists and offered to provide
two mobile detection proto type vans to enhance the capacity of TNP
for radiation detection. Mr.Gultekin stated TNP was ready to accept
the first two vans, test them, and later decide on a possible
request for additional vans. He also asked whether any formal
agreement or letter is required to accept the two proto type van
donations. Deschler responded that for the first two vans, it was
not necessary but for the additional equipment some type of letter
of acceptance but not an agreement may be required.

4) Sep 19th-Since the Bomb Disposal Unit is under the TNP
Laboratory, the same team met with TNP Criminal Police Laboratory
Head of Department Seyit Demirci and Deputy of Head of Bomb Disposal
Unit Kambi Apaydin. We were told that they were very satisfied with
the training provided by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) training
team and they plan to include this training in their curriculums.
Mr. Apaydin stated that they would like to continue cooperation
under SLD program and they could start the process for two radiation
detection vans. He also inquired about possible HAZMAT training for
the TNP officers. Advisor responded that the earliest possibility
for HAZMAT training was early spring of 2009. Mr.Deschler provided
some pictures of the vans and gave brief technical details about
them. He added that they were still testing some new functions on
the vans at their laboratories and these functions would improve the
detection capabilities of the vans.

B. (U) Training Conducted During this Reporting Period: -
None

C. (U) Equipment Delivered During this Reporting Period: No
EXBS Equipment delivered this period. DOE/SLD delivered 3
radiation detection pagers to Customs Enforcement.

D. (U) Imminent Training or Equipment Status Update: Senior
Turkish Customs VIP visit to US DHS/CBP and related training
and border units is scheduled between November 12-24,2008.

E. (U) Significant Developments in Export Controls,
Nonproliferation or Related Border Security: Embassy Ankara
co-hosted with
Turkish MFA the EXBS Nonproliferation Seminar in Ankara on
17 - 18 September, 2008. Over 15 U.S. and 30 Turkish
officials representing a wide range of agencies with export control
and nonproliferation responsibilities attended this seminar.

3. (U) Future Activities:

A. TDY EXBS Advisor arrived on September 17th and will depart
October 17th. EXBS Advisor Cieslinski will return November 1st.

4. (U) Red Flag Issues: None.

5. (U) Contact information for EXBS Program Ankara is:
Kevin Cummings, EXBS TDY Advisor, Email:
CummingsK@state.gov, Office (90) (312) 457-7210,
and Erhan Mert, EXBS Coordinator, Email:
MertE2@state.gov, Office(90)312 457-7059, Cell (90) (533)
264-8407. EXBS Program Office Fax (90) (312) 468-4775.

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

WILSON

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