MEETING WITH MFA ON BASAYEV PRENOTIFICATION AND

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