SECI ANTI-OC TRAINING SHOULD BE IN TURKEY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006661

SIPDIS

DOJ/Crm/Swartz
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

Ref: State 193421

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRM SNAR KJUS TU BU
SUBJECT: SECI ANTI-OC TRAINING SHOULD BE IN TURKEY


1. (SBU) Summary: Embassy Ankara recommends the U.S. take advantage
of the existing advantages of Ankara-based TADOC for anti-organized
crime training under the SECI umbrella as described reftel. Not
only is TADOC a well-functioning international training academy but
by using TADOC the USG will help reinforce Turkish engagement with
SECI as well as U.S.-Turkish law enforcement cooperation, a key
pillar in the bilateral relationship. End Summary.

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An Established, Well-Regarded Academy
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2. (SBU) Embassy Ankara sees little downside and much upside to
pursuing the use of the Ankara-based TADOC (Turkish International
Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime) as the locus of anti-OC
task force training under SECI auspices. TADOC is a
state-of-the-art training facility that already offers
anti-organized crime training to countries in the Balkans, Central
Asia and Caucasus regions, much of it with UNODC funding. UNODC
helped create TADOC and continues to support it financially. Some
EU member countries (UK, Germany, Netherlands) have funded and
organized training programs held at TADOC, as has the U.S. We
question the use of USG funds at an untested facility when a
well-functioning alternative already exists: as post understands it,
the Sofia-based alternative is not yet a fully-functioning academy.


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Turkey Receptive but Unlikely to Add Funds
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3. (SBU) Our informal, preliminary inquiries with TADOC and MFA
officials suggest Turkey in general and TADOC in particular would be
very receptive to playing an enhanced role in organized crime
training under a SECI umbrella provided the details could be worked
out. Turkey's is a middle income economy under fiscal austerity and
an IMF program and it has large and pressing development needs. As
such, it is unlikely to provide substantial additional funding
beyond what it already contributes to TADOC.


4. (SBU) Turkish MFA officials tell us this year Turkey will
contribute $1.2 million to UNODC, well beyond the $500,000 required
to sustain Turkey's major donor status. MFA officials told us that
UNODC rules allow Turkey to use a portion of their contribution to
fund TADOC when the academy has needs, thereby helping to ensure
that TADOC has a reliable backstop funding source. Turkey has
allocated $200,000 to TADOC this year. The MFA officials also said
that Turkey is the second largest funder of SECI after the U.S.,
whereas other SECI countries contribute very little. Though Turkey
is highly unlikely to fund travel and per diem costs for trainees
from other countries, one advantage of using TADOC is the relatively
low cost of lodging: currently $65 dollars per night.

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Embassy Engagement with TADOC
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5. (SBU) Multiple sections and agencies at Embassy Ankara are
engaged with TADOC. DEA, FBI, Justice and State/INL have all used
its facilities for training programs. TADOC's director, Celal
Bodur, is a highly-respected and cooperative post contact. Going
forward, if the U.S. decides to fund SECI anti-organized crime
training at TADOC, Embassy Ankara will be as helpful as possible.
Post reminds the Department that State Department staff available
to work on these issues have been cut with the elimination in fiscal
year 2007 of the junior officer position that has handled narcotics
and anti-crime issues.


6. (SBU) Post sees substantial diplomatic and law enforcement
advantages to using TADOC for the SECI training. First, by directing
SECI training to a Turkish academy, we would help reinforce Turkey's
commitment to SECI. As the largest country in SECI and the transit
country for most Afghan-sourced opiates it is hard to overstate the
importance of Turkish engagement to Southeastern European law

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enforcement cooperation in general and SECI in particular. (For the
same reason, Turkey is a crucial partner for DEA.) The timing is
good with regard to Turkey's relationship with SECI: Turkish
officials seem to have gotten over their dismay at the failure of
their candidate to win the SECI executive directorship in 2005 and
we understand that the Turkish police are considering stationing a
representative at SECI in Bucharest. MFA officials tell us Turkey's
main reservation about SECI is that it does too little: they would
be happy to see a stronger, more operational SECI.


7. (SBU) Second, the relationship between U.S. and Turkish law
enforcement has been a pillar of the broader bilateral relationship:
law enforcement cooperation has been steady throughout the recent
ups and downs in the broader relationship. The Turkish law
enforcement community is one constituency within the Turkish state
that sees the importance of maintaining strong U.S.-Turkish
relations.

Wilson