Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ANKARA6083
2005-10-07 11:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

EXBS: POSTPONEMENT OF DHS/CBP BORDER ASSESSMENT

Tags:  ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU 
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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.

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