Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ADANA148
2006-06-21 13:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Adana
Cable title:  

COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL DEAL

Tags:  OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN TU 
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VZCZCXRO6172
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHDA #0148/01 1721315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211315Z JUN 06
FM AMCONSUL ADANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4203
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0751
RUEADWD/HQDA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0803
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000148 

SIPDIS

NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL DEAL

REF: SECSTATE 98957

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADANA 000148

SIPDIS

NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CODEL DEAL

REF: SECSTATE 98957


1. U.S. Consulate Adana grants country clearance to
Representatives Nathan Deal, Charlie Norwood, Michael Burgess,
Gene Greene; Staffers Chris Riley, Todd Smith, Lodriguez Murray,
Brandon Clark; as well as U.S. Army Escort Major Patrick Lewis
and Attending Physician Dr. Mark Corrairie who will visit Turkey
July 6-8, 2006.


2. U.S. Consulate Adana Control Officer is Andrew Wilson who can
be contacted at Consulate (90)(322)346-6262, Mobile (90)
532-620-7961, Home (90) 322-232-8259, e-mail wilsonac@state.gov.


3. Please e-mail control officer with your lodging preferences.



5. Visas: All Americans entering Turkey must have a valid
visa. Travelers without a visa can obtain a visa (valid for one
entry valid for three months at ports of entry upon payment of a
USD 20 fee payable in cash. There is no fee for official travel
if the visa is obtained outside of Turkey.


6. Health Safety: Information on vaccinations and other health
precautions can be obtained from the Center for Disease Control
and Prevention. The hotline for international travelers (tel:
1-877-394-8747),fax: 1-800-cdc-fax(1-800-232-3299),or via
their internet site at: HTTP://WWW.CSC.GO.


7. Security Assessment: In light of ongoing military
operations in Iraq and continued operations in support of the
war on terrorism there remains the potential for both
transnational terrorist groups with anti-Western sympathies, to
include Kongra Gel (formerly PKK),Revolutionary People's
Liberation/Front (DHKP/C),Marxist-Leninist Communist Party
(MLKP) Turkish Communist Party/Marxist Leninist (TKP/ML),
Turkish Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army (TIKKO) and
Islamic Greater Eastern Raiders/Front (IBDA/C) continue to
operate in Turkey.
Attacks over the last few years, attributed to these groups,
have occurred in the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal resort
areas, as well as in Istanbul. Most of the attacks, generally
small-scale bombings, have occurred in neighborhoods of Istanbul
not generally frequented by official Americans or tourists.
Also in 2005 and 2006 public buses have been set on fire, with
the most recent incident resulting in three deaths. Thus far,

these attacks on buses also have taken place in areas of
Istanbul distant from official American or tourist
destinations., A Kurdish group, ostensibly aligned with the PKK
terrorists, claimed responsibility for many of the incidents
noted above, and in April 2006 this group issued a statement
renewing a threat to target Turkeys tourism industry.
Violent demonstrations have occurred throughout Turkey, the most
recent in Istanbul and in several cities in Southeastern Turkey.
Just as with members of Mission Turkey, USG visitors are
required to obtain RSO Ankara and DCM approval for travel to the
Southeast.
Al-Qa'ida threats to target U.S. facilities in Turkey have been
public knowledge for some time. On November 15. 2003 two
synagogues in Istanbul were the targets of suicide truck bombs.
On November 20, 2003 the British Consulate General and the
London based HSBC Bank in Istanbul were struck by powerful
explosions, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. Through
prosecutions of those responsible are still ongoing, indications
are that the indigenous radical Islamic terrorist group
responsible was supported by the Al-Qa'ida network. The August
2005 discovery
in Antalya of a potential plot against maritime interest and
subsequent arrest of a Syrian Al-Qa'ida facilitator and planner
further attest to the ongoing transnational threat.
The incidence of crime, both violent and the more traditional
tourists crimes (pick pocketing, purse-snatching, etc.),is
relatively low throughout Turkey. However, over the last year,
there has been a marked increase in the number of crimes
reported to Consulate General Istanbul. Much of the crime is
centered in the areas frequented by tourists, Consulate
employees and official visitors. Visitors should be
particularly attentive for pick pockets in and around the
Sultanahmet, Taksim Square, and Istiklal Caddesi areas of
Istanbul. Often pick pocketing is preceded by some sort of
diversion, such as an argument or fight, or children asking to
assist tourists, for example with their bags, If you encounter
such activity, secure your wallet or purse and quickly leave the
area. Another scam that is becoming more prevalent is that of a
stranger approaching a visitor and striking up a conversation
which is continued inside a restaurant or club, where one is
either drugged and robbed or presented with an enormous bill and
intimidated into paying it. The security office encourages
visitors to report any security incidents, including
surveillance, to the RSO immediately.
Useful security information about Turkey is available on the
following web-sites:

ADANA 00000148 002 OF 002


--Embassy Ankara: HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR (Click on
Security Matters)
--Consulate General Istanbul:
HTTP://WWW.USCONSULATE-ISTANBUL.ORG.TR
--Consulate Adana: HTTP://ADANA.USCONSULATE.GOV


8. For further information regarding travel in Turkey,
consult the Consular information sheet. The Consular
information sheet and public announcements are available on
the internet at: HTTP://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV

Other information is available on the following websites:

--The State Department Consular Affairs (CA) website:
HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/TURKEY.HTML
--Turkish Daily News (English Language Turkish newspaper):
HTTP://WWW.TURKISHDAILYNEWS.COM
--Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
HTTP://WWW.MFA.GOV.TR
--The Republic of Turkey Home Page:
HTTP://WWW.TURKEY/INDEX.HTML
--Weather for Turkey:
HTTP://WWW.WUNDERGROUND.COM/GLOBAL/TU.HTML
REID