MFA RAISES PNR, NORTHERN CYPRUS FLIGHTS, TSA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005897

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2009
TAGS: EAIR PTER PREL TU CY
SUBJECT: MFA RAISES PNR, NORTHERN CYPRUS FLIGHTS, TSA
SECURITY DIRECTIVE FOR ISTANBUL AIRPORT (SBU)

REF: ANKARA 5765

Classified By: (U) Classified by Economic Counselor Thomas Goldberger f
or reasons 1.4 b,d.


1. (U) This is an action cable. See para 6.


2. (SBU) In an October 12 meeting with Econoff, Ahmet Bigali,
the new MFA Director for Aviation Affairs, and Baris
Kalkavan, also of the Aviation Affairs Department, raised
passenger name records (PNR),direct U.S. flights to Ercan
Airport and TSA's Emergency Amendment/Security Directive
(EA/SD) for Istanbul Ataturk Airport.


3. (SBU) PNR: Econoff provided Kalkavan, who had earlier
inquired about the U.S.-EU PNR arrangement, with a copy of
the DHS Undertakings to the EU on protection of PNR data.
Kalkavan stated that U.S. authorities had recently asked
Turkish Airlines (THY) for PNR data, and that MFA was looking
into the issue of whether sharing this information was
consistent with Turkish privacy legislation. He stated that
THY had previously been sharing Advanced Passenger
Information System (APIS) information with U.S. authorities,
but did not provide further details on this arrangement.
Econoff responded that data provided by THY would be afforded
privacy protections in force under U.S. law.


4. (SBU) EA/SD: Bigali reiterated request (reftel) that TSA
reconsider the emergency amendment in force for Istanbul
Ataturk Airport.


5. (C) Cyprus: Bigali raised the issue of direct U.S.
flights to northern Cyprus, emphasizing that Turkish public
opinion expected the U.S. to take steps to ease the isolation
of the Turkish Cypriots. Kalkavan thanked the U.S. for
removing the reference to Ercan as an "illegal" airport from
the FAA's website. He asked whether the U.S. planned to use
northern Cyprus as a rest/recuperation stop for U.S. troops
in Iraq. In a subsequent telephone call, Kalkavan informed
Econoff that the British Government was planning to do an
aviation security assessment for northern Cyprus soon, and
inquired about the timing of TSA's assessment of Ercan
airport.


6. (SBU) Action Request: Embassy requests talking points for
use with MFA on U.S. PNR requirements for Turkey.
EDELMAN