TURKEY PURSUES BTC SECURITY WITH NEIGHBORS

UNCLAS ANKARA 002008

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

USDOE FOR CHUCK WASHINGTON
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/OEURA/CPD/DDEFALCO
NSC FOR BRYZA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET MARR MASS TU GG AZ BTC
SUBJECT: TURKEY PURSUES BTC SECURITY WITH NEIGHBORS

REF: A. ANKARA 1306


B. BAKU APRIL 4 E-MAIL


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Turkey is interested in moving forward on
inter-governmental security arrangements in anticipation of
the BTC pipeline going into operation later this year. It
has been responsive to requests from BTC. Georgia remains
the weak link in assuring timely and adequate preparations.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) On April 5, GOT MFA Officer Basak Tug briefed
Energy Officer on status of BTC intergovernmental security
arrangements. 1) In response to a formal request from BTC
Corp, the three countries will meet for a security
implementation committee meeting in Baku April 26. Tug said
Turkey would send Energy and MFA Undersecretaries. 2) At the
end of this week, MFA will receive a delegation from BTC and
BP to advance preparations for an Inter-Governmental
Committee on BTC security ahead of starting to fill the
pipeline. According to Tug, MFA would convene a domestic
meeting of security representatives in advance of receiving
the delegation. She said that Turkey and Azerbaijan had
appointed its representatives to the IG Committee, but
Georgia had not yet done so. The GOT urged Georgia to move
forward on this at recent meetings in Ankara. Tug said upon
convocation of the IG Committee, the three governments would
need to approve the BTC security protocol. 3) Tug said the
other aspect of security would be assuring attention to human
rights; she said that GOT was not sure how or whether the
three countries would coordinate this aspect.


3. (SBU) Comment: Despite construction delays, BTC line fill
will start soon in Baku, so the countries need to hustle in
putting in place adequate security coordination. Turkey
appears willing to play a key role in assisting its two
country partners in implementing security coordination.
There may be a role for the USG in offering training or
facilitating assurance of appropriate security. GOT
officials were receptive to going over security planning with
a visiting DOD consultant last January.
EDELMAN