EXBS: POSTPONEMENT OF DHS/CBP BORDER ASSESSMENT

UNCLAS ANKARA 006083 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU SUBJECT: EXBS: POSTPONEMENT OF DHS/CBP BORDER ASSESSMENT REF: STATE 185014 Sensitive but unclassified -- please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) Post does not now provide country clearance for three officials from DHS/CBP to come to Turkey Oct 13-21 to conduct a country assessment in preparation for future engagement between CBP and the Turkish Customs authority. At present, the proposed visit would not achieve its desired goals due to travel limitations imposed by Turkey until the Turkish parliament ratifies our bilateral NP Cooperation Agreement. ¶2. (SBU) The Nonproliferation Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Turkey and the United States, signed on June 14th, awaits final ratification by the Turkish Parliament. Once this ratification is completed, all programs covered under the EXBS umbrella will be open for engagement. However, until this time, MFA has requested that EXBS program engagement be limited to exchanges with senior government officials in Ankara. MFA officials want to avoid the appearance that the government is beginning work before the Agreement is ratified; this is expected by the end of October. Many other programs are awaiting this final ratification, including the DOE Second Line of Defense. ¶3. (U) Post understands that a key element of the border assessment is visits to border locations throughout Turkey. By postponing this visit until ratification of the Agreement, it will be possible to work with the GOT to coordinate such visit. Attempting to do this assessment prior to ratification would limit the delegation to discussions with authorities only in Ankara and would not provide a true picture of the current border situation here in Turkey. We believe this DHS program is very valuable and therefore rescheduling this visit to either December or the first of the year would provide for the best results. ¶4. (U) Questions concerning the Turkish EXBS program should be addressed to the Turkish EXBS Advisor, Kevin Lyon. His contact information is phone (90)(312)455-5555 ext 2525, fax (90)(312)468-4775, email LyonK@state.gov. MCELDOWNEY