TURKEY APPROVES CLOSURE OF YUMURTALIK SEA TERMINAL

UNCLAS ANKARA 003819 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR TU SUBJECT: TURKEY APPROVES CLOSURE OF YUMURTALIK SEA TERMINAL REF: A. ANKARA 2054 ¶B. STATE 14485 ¶1. Embassy received on June 29 a positive response from the Turkish government to our notification of the US intent to cease operations at the Yumurtalik Sea Terminal (fuel installation) and close the facility (ref a). The response notes the expectation that the facility will be turned over to the Republic of Turkey in accordance with the terms of the bilateral Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement (DECA). Following is the text of the diplomatic note: ¶2. BEGIN TEXT: 2006/ALGY/273518 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and with reference to the Latter's Note no: 918, dated 31 May 2006, regarding the closure of the Yumurtalik Fuel Installation, has the honour to inform the Embassy of the following: It is considered by the relevant Turkish Authorities that United States of America can terminate its activities at the Yumurtalik Fuel Installation in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Agreements. The Ministry would like to bring to the kind attention of the Embassy that the Paragraph 7.2 of the Supplementary Agreement Number 3 between the Governments of the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America on Installations states that the right of use of the facilities will be transferred to the Government of Turkey upon final termination of the use by the Government of the United States of America. This includes all non-removable property including those incorporated in the soil, constructions and those installed on the premises. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America the assurances of its highest consideration. Ankara, 26 June 2006 Embassy of the United States of America Ankara END TEXT. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON