MEETING WITH MFA ON BASAYEV PRENOTIFICATION AND

S E C R E T ANKARA 004948 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2013 TAGS: ETTC KCRM PTER SNAR TU SUBJECT: MEETING WITH MFA ON BASAYEV PRENOTIFICATION AND FSAT REPORT REF: A. A) STATE 224095 ¶B. B) STATE 197548 ¶1. (U) CLASSSIFIED BY ECONOMIC COUNSELOR SCOT MARCIEL FOR REASONS 1.5 (B),(D). ¶2. (SBU) ON AUGUST 5, EMBOFFS MET WITH MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE HAKAN OKCAL TO EXECUTE REFTEL INSTRUCTIONS. ¶3. (S) EMBOFFS DELIVERED REF A TALKING POINTS EMPHASIZING THE CLOSE HOLD. AS EXPECTED, OKCAL NOTED THAT THE GOT WOULD NEED UN APPROVAL OF THE DESIGNATION BEFORE ISSUING A LEGALLY-BINDING DECREE. ACCORDING TO OKCAL THIS IS A SOMEWHAT CUMBERSOME PROCESS BUT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT COURTS TAKE ACTION AGAINST DESIGNATED INDIVIDUALS. IN THE MEANTIME, OKCAL UNDERTOOK TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH APPROPRIATE AGENCIES WHO WOULD CHECK THEIR FILES AND DATABASES FOR EVIDENCE OF BASAYEV ASSETS OR ACTIVITIES IN TURKEY. ¶4. (C) OKCAL COMMENTED ON THE RECURRING FRICTIONS BETWEEN TURKISH AND RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES OVER ALLEGED TURKISH SUPPORT FOR CHECHEN GROUPS. OKCAL PUT THE NUMBER OF TURKS OF CHECHEN OR CIRCASSIAN ORIGIN AT 4 OR 5 MILLION BUT CLAIMED THAT THE GOT HAD ACTED DECISIVELY TO CLOSE DOWN TURKISH CITIZENS' FUNDING OF CHECHEN TERRORISTS AND CHECHEN REBELS ACCESS TO TURKEY. THE GOR, ESPECIALLY MILITARY AND SECURITY OFFICIALS, OCCASIONALLY ACCUSE THE GOT OF NOT BEING TOUGH ENOUGH ON THIS ISSUE BUT OKCAL DENIED THESE ACCUSATIONS AND NOTED THE GOT HAD SIMILAR CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIAN POLICY VIS-A-VIS THE PKK. ¶5. (U) AS REQUESTED IN REF B, EMBOFFS PASSED ON THE FSAT REPORT TO OKCAL. OKCAL THANKED THE USG FOR THE REPORT AND SAID HE WOULD REVIEW IT AND DISCUSS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVING RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMBATTING FINANCIAL CRIMES. DEUTSCH