SECOND ACTION REQUEST--TURKEY WORRIED ABOUT ARMS

S E C R E T ANKARA 002614 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/19/2031 TAGS: PTER TU IZ SUBJECT: SECOND ACTION REQUEST--TURKEY WORRIED ABOUT ARMS SMUGGLING FROM IRAQ REF: ANKARA 2153 Classified By: Counselor for Political-Military Affairs Timothy A. Bett s for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) This is an action request -- please see para. three. ¶2. (S) MFA Director General for Security Affairs (S/CT-equivalent) Hayati Guven reminded us May 3 that he had requested information from us April 18 (see reftel) on 617 firearms that the Turkish authorities have recovered that apparently entered Turkey from Iraq after being provided by the coalition to the Iraqi Security Forces. Guven reminded us that one of these weapons -- a GLOCK handgun -- had been used to kill an Italian priest in Trabzon, and that another had been used to kill one policeman and injure another in Izmir. Given the nature of these crimes and the firepower of the weapons involved, Guven said this was a serious issue for the GOT and thus he reiterated his request for further information. ¶3. (U) Action request: We request again Washington's assistance in responding to the Turkish request. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON