MFA REQUESTS RECONSIDERATION OF ISTANBUL

UNCLAS ANKARA 005765 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/TRA/OTP, S/CT AND EUR/SE PARIS FOR TSA BRUSSELS FOR TSA/FAA DHS FOR TSA DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR PTER PREL TU SUBJECT: MFA REQUESTS RECONSIDERATION OF ISTANBUL AIRPORT SECURITY REQUIREMENTS (SBU) Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Handle Accordingly. Ref: (A) TSA Emergency Amendment SD 1544-04-08 6/29/04 B) Ankara 5301 and previous ¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request in para 3. ¶2. (SBU) On October 7, Ahmet Bigali, Director of Aviation Affairs at the Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry, called Econoff to raise TSA security requirements on direct flights to the U.S. departing from Istanbul Ataturk Airport (ref A). Bigali urged the USG to reconsider the Emergency Amendment, asking whether revision or cancellation of these measures is under consideration. He added that the Turkish Minister of Finance had raised the issue in correspondence with MFA. Bigali contended that the extensive screening requirements are a hardship for passengers and have led to a loss of U.S.-bound transit customers for Turkish Airlines. ¶3. (SBU) Action Request: To our knowledge, Turkish authorities have shown full cooperation with U.S. counterparts on this matter. In the interest of maintaining that cooperation, Embassy requests a status update/guidance on ref A measures imposed in June, specifically whether there are plans to modify the requirements, and if so, when. We also note that TSA's loan of explosive trace detection equipment in use at Istanbul Airport is about to expire and request information on whether the loan will be extended soonest. Edelman