BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON

UNCLAS ANKARA 006252 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE AND DM/DTTC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC TU SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK ON APPLICATION 05-01007495 REF: A. A) STATE 140478 ¶B. B) ANKARA 00502 ¶1. Per ref a request, we met with Mechanical and Chemical Industries Corporation (MKEK) Director of Marketing and Export Akif Akgul on September 29, 2006 to discuss license number 05-01007495 per reftel A and confirmed the order and the end users. Akgul was forthcoming about the contract and confirmed that MKEK had ordered 90 of the Remington Model 700 bolt-action centerfire rifles (including scopes). Akgul stated that the U.S. seller (Raci Holding Inc.) was willing to fulfill the order for the original 40 rifles as noted in reftel A, and that MKEK wished to order an additional 50 for a total of 90 rifles and 90 scopes. Akgul noted that the Turkish government -- specifically the Undersecretary for Defense Industries (SSM) -- tightly controlled the sale of firearms/hunting rifles, and MKEK was the sole authorized dealer. MKEK planned to sell the rifles to qualified individuals with no criminal record. Akgul said MKEK took the sale of firearms very seriously and did not want to run afoul of SSM by selling any firearms to people it did trust. ¶2. Akgul said that purchase order 002322 (noted in ref A) had been signed by Selma Kilic and Mustafa Aycicek and noted that Kilic is still with MKEK but that Aycicek has departed MKEK. As noted in ref B, Aycicek had said that he was MKEK's "acting" procurement chief. Regarding reftel A request for information on MKEK, we not that this was provided in ref B. ¶3. Basedon the site visit and meeting with Akgul, post supports the issuance of this license. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON