AUSTRALIA GROUP: NO INDICATION THAT THE GOT WILL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004908

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR NP/CBM


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/05/2013
TAGS: ETTC PARM PREL
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA GROUP: NO INDICATION THAT THE GOT WILL
BREAK SILENCE ON USG CHEMICAL PRECURSORS PROPOSAL


REF: SECSTATE 219619



1. (U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires ad interim Robert
Deutsch. Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).



2. (C) On August 4, polmiloff delivered reftel points to Omur
Yurdakul, First Secretary in the MFA's Disarmament
Department. Yurdakul said that she was not aware of any
intention within the GOT to break silence on the USG's
proposal, submitted at the June 2003 Australia Group (AG)
plenary, to add nine chemical precursors to AG control. She
said that she would make inquiries and report back to the
Embassy if she discovered any inclination to break silence on
this proposal.



3. (C) Yurdakul also reported to polmiloff that the GOT was
nearing completion on a draft law, prohibiting the export,
import, acquisition, or storage of any chemical on the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) list without a license.
When asked how this law differed from the current regulations
in place on this subject, Yurdakul reported that the draft
law defined strict penalties for violations (ranging from
fines to imprisonment),as well as the specific chemicals
which are to be placed under control.



4. (C) The draft law has almost completed the coordination
process within the government ministries, Yurdakul said.
Afterwards, it will be sent to the Prime Ministry for final
government blessing and then to Parliament. Yurdakul also
noted that the GOT has begun work on a similar law regarding
items used to develop biological weapons.
DEUTSCH