Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA321
2006-01-27 15:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR DRL/IRF STAFF MEMBER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0045 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAK #0321/01 0271539 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 271539Z JAN 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2767 INFO RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA PRIORITY 0976 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 0229 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 9680
UNCLAS ANKARA 000321
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA PHUM AL BU TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR DRL/IRF STAFF MEMBER
MICHAEL MATES TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY FEBRUARY 20-25, 2006
REF: STATE 08957
UNCLAS ANKARA 000321
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA PHUM AL BU TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR DRL/IRF STAFF MEMBER
MICHAEL MATES TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY FEBRUARY 20-25, 2006
REF: STATE 08957
1. (U) Mission welcomes and grants country clearance to
DRL/IRF Desk Officer Michael Mates to travel to Ankara and
Istanbul February 20 - 25, 2006. The purpose of the visit is
to meet religious leaders and NGOs and advocate for USG
positions regarding religious freedom with host government
officials.
2. (U) The point of contact for the visit in Ankara is
Political Officer Philip Kaplan who can be reached through
the embassy switchboard at (90)(312) 455-5555 extension 0, 24
hours a day. The point of contact at the American Consulate
in Istanbul is Political Officer Alicia Allison who can be
reached through the consulate switchboard at (90) (212)
335-9000 extension 0. Additional scheduling and logistical
information will be forwarded in separate communication.
3. (U) Visas: All Americans traveling to Turkey must have a
valid visa. Travelers on tourist passports without a visa
can obtain a visa valid for one entry/three months at port of
entry upon payment of a USD 20 fee. This fee is payable only
in U.S. dollars cash. Travelers on diplomatic passports must
obtain their visa prior to travel. There is no fee for
official travel if the visa is obtained outside of Turkey.
4. (U) Health Safety: Information on vaccinations and other
health precautions can be obtained from the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention hotline for international
travelers (tel: 1-877-394-747); fax 1-800-232-3299; or via
the internet at HTTP//www.cdc.gov.
5. (U) Security Assessment: In the aftermath of Operation
Iraqi Freedom (OIF) there continues to be the potential for
both transnational and indigenous terrorist groups to target
U.S. interests in Turkey. After the Gulf War, the
predecessor to the Turkish Terrorist Group Revolutionary
People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) assassinated four
Americans in Turkey and carried out numerous bombings of U.S.
targets (mostly private sector businesses, although two
rockets were directed toward the Consulate General in
Istanbul). Subsequent to the ending of OIF hostilities, there
have been isolated terrorist bombings attributed to DHKP/C
and other indigenous terrorist groups in protest of OIF.
Other Turkish terrorist groups with anti-Western sympathies
include 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).
Al-Qa'ida threats to target U.S. facilities in Turkey have
been public knowledge for some time. On November 15, two
synagogues in Istanbul were the targets of suicide car bombs.
On November 20, 2003, the British Consulate General and the
London-based HSBC bank in Istanbul were damaged by powerful
explosions, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. These
incidents represent a significant change from prior attacks
in Turkey, which have previously involved small-scale, random
bombings and small numbers of casualties. The investigations
of these incidents in Istanbul remain open but transnational
terrorist links are suspected. The potential for violence
and terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests
continue.
The Turkish National Police (TNP) is quite responsive in
their role as protector of U.S. diplomatic and military
interests in Turkey. The TNP has provided enhanced coverage
at each of our facilities in Ankara, Istanbul, Adana and
Izmir. The incidence of crime, both violent and the more
traditional tourist crimes (pick pocketing, purse-snatching,
etc.),is relatively low throughout Turkey. Visitors to
Istanbul should be aware that tourist-type crimes are more
prevalent there, especially in the traditionalist tourist
areas, such as Sultanahmet and Istiklal Caddesi. 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 websites:
--Embassy Ankara: HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR (Click on
Security Matters)
--Consulate General Istanbul:
HTTP://USCONSULATE-ISTANBUL.ORG.TR
6. (U) For further information regarding travel in Turkey,
consult the consular information sheet. The consulate
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) websites:
HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/TURKEY.HTML
--US Embassy Ankara:
HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OTRA PHUM AL BU TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR DRL/IRF STAFF MEMBER
MICHAEL MATES TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY FEBRUARY 20-25, 2006
REF: STATE 08957
1. (U) Mission welcomes and grants country clearance to
DRL/IRF Desk Officer Michael Mates to travel to Ankara and
Istanbul February 20 - 25, 2006. The purpose of the visit is
to meet religious leaders and NGOs and advocate for USG
positions regarding religious freedom with host government
officials.
2. (U) The point of contact for the visit in Ankara is
Political Officer Philip Kaplan who can be reached through
the embassy switchboard at (90)(312) 455-5555 extension 0, 24
hours a day. The point of contact at the American Consulate
in Istanbul is Political Officer Alicia Allison who can be
reached through the consulate switchboard at (90) (212)
335-9000 extension 0. Additional scheduling and logistical
information will be forwarded in separate communication.
3. (U) Visas: All Americans traveling to Turkey must have a
valid visa. Travelers on tourist passports without a visa
can obtain a visa valid for one entry/three months at port of
entry upon payment of a USD 20 fee. This fee is payable only
in U.S. dollars cash. Travelers on diplomatic passports must
obtain their visa prior to travel. There is no fee for
official travel if the visa is obtained outside of Turkey.
4. (U) Health Safety: Information on vaccinations and other
health precautions can be obtained from the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention hotline for international
travelers (tel: 1-877-394-747); fax 1-800-232-3299; or via
the internet at HTTP//www.cdc.gov.
5. (U) Security Assessment: In the aftermath of Operation
Iraqi Freedom (OIF) there continues to be the potential for
both transnational and indigenous terrorist groups to target
U.S. interests in Turkey. After the Gulf War, the
predecessor to the Turkish Terrorist Group Revolutionary
People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) assassinated four
Americans in Turkey and carried out numerous bombings of U.S.
targets (mostly private sector businesses, although two
rockets were directed toward the Consulate General in
Istanbul). Subsequent to the ending of OIF hostilities, there
have been isolated terrorist bombings attributed to DHKP/C
and other indigenous terrorist groups in protest of OIF.
Other Turkish terrorist groups with anti-Western sympathies
include 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).
Al-Qa'ida threats to target U.S. facilities in Turkey have
been public knowledge for some time. On November 15, two
synagogues in Istanbul were the targets of suicide car bombs.
On November 20, 2003, the British Consulate General and the
London-based HSBC bank in Istanbul were damaged by powerful
explosions, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. These
incidents represent a significant change from prior attacks
in Turkey, which have previously involved small-scale, random
bombings and small numbers of casualties. The investigations
of these incidents in Istanbul remain open but transnational
terrorist links are suspected. The potential for violence
and terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests
continue.
The Turkish National Police (TNP) is quite responsive in
their role as protector of U.S. diplomatic and military
interests in Turkey. The TNP has provided enhanced coverage
at each of our facilities in Ankara, Istanbul, Adana and
Izmir. The incidence of crime, both violent and the more
traditional tourist crimes (pick pocketing, purse-snatching,
etc.),is relatively low throughout Turkey. Visitors to
Istanbul should be aware that tourist-type crimes are more
prevalent there, especially in the traditionalist tourist
areas, such as Sultanahmet and Istiklal Caddesi. 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 websites:
--Embassy Ankara: HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR (Click on
Security Matters)
--Consulate General Istanbul:
HTTP://USCONSULATE-ISTANBUL.ORG.TR
6. (U) For further information regarding travel in Turkey,
consult the consular information sheet. The consulate
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) websites:
HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/TURKEY.HTML
--US Embassy Ankara:
HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR
WILSON