TURKISH MFA WELCOMES A U.S. RESIDENT LEGAL ADVISOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000839 SIPDIS JUSTICE FOR OPDAT - JSILVERWOOD TREASURY FOR RLEBENSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2009 TAGS: PTER KTFN TU SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA WELCOMES A U.S. RESIDENT LEGAL ADVISOR Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) In separate meetings, two senior MFA officials told the DCM that Turkey would warmly welcome the assignment of a U.S. Justice Department Legal Advisor to Embassy Ankara. Both Director General for the Americas Alpar, and Deputy Under Secretary Akgunay (responsible for Security Affairs) encouraged us to begin work on bringing a RLA or ILA here. Both MFA officials undertook to ensure that Turkish ministries would cooperate fully with the RLA/ILA. ¶2. (C) In both meetings, the MFA officials recognized that the assignment of an American legal advisor to Embassy Ankara would help deepen US-Turkish cooperation against PKK networks in Europe. A legal advisor could also help Turkey meet its international commitments on terrorism finance. The MFA officials felt it would be particularly useful if the person assigned here had expertise in European law. ¶3. (SBU) Action request: Post strongly recommends that OPDAT begin actively begin working to assign either a RLA or an ILA to Ankara, and requests State Department support for this effort. Assigning the RLA will help us bring to bear U.S. legal expertise in the critical bilateral areas of cooperation against PKK and combatting the financing of terrorism. WILSON