EMBASSY EFFORTS TO STOP TURKISH ATROPINE EXPORTS

S E C R E T ANKARA 008546 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR NP/CBM, EUR/SE, EUR/PRA, NEA/NGA AND INR/SPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2012 TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC TU IZ SUBJECT: EMBASSY EFFORTS TO STOP TURKISH ATROPINE EXPORTS TO IRAQ (S) REF: A. STATE 222715 ¶B. STATE 172843 ¶C. ANKARA 8314 ¶D. ANKARA 6489 Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch. Reasons 1.5 B and D. ¶1. (S) Post has expended substantial and sustained efforts to encourage the GOT to shut off potential for Iraqi acquisition of atropine from Turkey. We offer the following chronology of our efforts: (S) May 2002 - Regional Affaires (RA) Office begins work on issue with GOT interlocutors. Information exchange on-going to present time. (S) August 28 ) U/S Grossman raises with U/S Ziyal in Washington. (S) First week of Sept. ) DCM raises with MFA DG Kurttekin. (S) Sept. 10 ) Political Military Affairs (PMA) officer raises with MFA Iraq Desk, passes points including name and details of suspect Turkish firm per State 172843. MFA says it will investigate. ECON also delivers State 172843 points to MFA DG for Bilateral Economic Affairs. (S) Between Sept. 10 and Nov. 7 PMA made at least three follow-up calls to MFA. No further information was provided. (S) Oct. 30 ) DCM raises with MFA DG Burcuoglu who, holding up his daily to-do list, says the issue is at top of his agenda. (S) Nov. 7 ) PMA Raises again with MFA DDG for Middle East per State 222715. Gets no information but promise that results of ongoing investigation will be passed to us. ECON raises with Acting DG for Agreements at Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade. Gets no information. (U) Nov. 12 ) NYT runs story. (S) Nov. 14 ) PMA raises with MFA Disarmament Department Head. He too was unable to provide any information. (S) Nov. 15 - PMA called into the MFA by Iraq Department Head, who provides info contained Ref C confirming that the first week of August, 44,000 atropine autoinjectors were sent from Turkey to Iraq, and stating no shipments had been made afterwards. MFA stated that the effort to move the atropine had stopped completely after the MFA took action in late August/early September. If there had been any attempt afterward, word had not reached the MFA. ¶2. (S) Post intends to continue pressing the GOT for more information on this issue, using any available information. PEARSON