S13-03: TURKS WILL BLOCK HEAT EXCHANGER EXPORTS

S E C R E T ANKARA 001666

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR NP/CBM, EUR/SE, EUR/PRA, IO/PHO, NEA/NGA, INR/SPM


E.O. 12958: DECL: (X1, X6)
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC TU IZ SY JO UNSC CBW
SUBJECT: S13-03: TURKS WILL BLOCK HEAT EXCHANGER EXPORTS

REF: A. STATE 64956

B. ANKARA 1037

C. ANKARA 891


(U) Classified by Pol-Mil Counselor Stuart Brown. Reasons
1.5 (b) and (d).



1. (S) On March 13, polmiloff met with Ferhat Alkan of the
MFA's Iraq Desk and delivered Ref A points. Alkan remarked
that the information was "news" to the MFA. He promised to
pass the information immediately to the Turkish National
Intelligence Agency (TNIO),the Turkish General Staff, and
via the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, to Turkish Customs.



2. (S) Polmiloff pressed Alkan regarding the mechanics of
the GOT's preventing the exports and the method by which it
would prevent third-country trans-shipments. Alkan responded
that, depending on the stage of the business transaction,
either the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade would refuse the
export permit, or Turkish Customs would attempt to intercept
an outbound shipment. In response to polmiloff's reminder
regarding Ref D, Alkan said that Foreign Trade had stopped
exports of atropine autoinjectors in response to Post's
February demarche and that the sole Iraqi-related shipment
had been in August 2002. In regard to Ref B, he told
polmiloff that Foreign Trade is alert to the import and/or
export of the meteorological balloons, but had not yet
encountered them. He noted that the TNIO has and would look
into all firms that we have brought to the GOT's attention.
PEARSON