Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA2893
2007-12-04 15:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: RELIEF ON THE WAY FOR ANKARA TIP SHELTER
how-toVZCZCXRO3279 PP RUEHDA DE RUEHAK #2893 3381548 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 041548Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4544 INFO RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 2500 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 3591 RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ANKARA 002893
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, G/TIP JENNIFER DONNELLY, AMY ROFMAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AFIN ELAB PHUM SMIG SOCI TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: RELIEF ON THE WAY FOR ANKARA TIP SHELTER
REF: A. ANKARA 2512
B. ANKARA 1893
ANKARA TIP SHELTER HANGS ON
----------------------------
UNCLAS ANKARA 002893
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, G/TIP JENNIFER DONNELLY, AMY ROFMAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AFIN ELAB PHUM SMIG SOCI TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: RELIEF ON THE WAY FOR ANKARA TIP SHELTER
REF: A. ANKARA 2512
B. ANKARA 1893
ANKARA TIP SHELTER HANGS ON
--------------
1. (SBU) The Ankara TIP shelter, operated by the Foundation
for Women's Solidarity (FWS),remains open despite a
three-month funding short-fall. FWS could not pay salaries
in September, October, or November 2007. The Canadian
International Development Agency has responded positively to
the IOM Chief of Mission's appeal to Ambassadors on behalf of
the Ankara shelter (ref A). It will provide a small grant to
FWS to help cover unpaid salaries, though, without additional
assistance, a large portion of the last three months'
salaries will remain unpaid. Looking ahead, IOM Senior
Trafficking Assistant Meltem Ersoy told us the European
Commission (EC) delegation to Ankara and IOM are preparing to
sign an agreement this week on a two-year, 3 million Euro
comprehensive anti-trafficking program with Turkey. Upon
signing, both the Ankara and Istanbul shelters will receive
15-18 months guaranteed funding. The overall program will
address institutional capacity building, law enforcement
training, data management, and demand management. The EC has
already seconded an official to IOM to help oversee
implementation of the program in the first year. Ersoy noted
that delays in reaching agreement between the EC and IOM on
the program contributed to the funding short-fall at the
shelter, as the GOT had anticipated these funds becoming
available sooner.
2. (SBU) The EC-funded program is designed to support the
GOT's anti-trafficking national action plan (NAP). The NAP,
we are told, is nearly finalized and will soon arrive at the
PM's office for signature, with extensive input from, and
review by the Ministries of Justice, Interior and Foreign
Affairs. We expect guaranteed support for Turkey's TIP
shelters to be a key component of the NAP, and will report on
the plan as soon as it is adopted.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT UNDERWAY
--------------
3. (SBU) In addition to the emergency funding for Turkey's
TIP shelters, in July 2007 we had recommended USG support for
an IOM anti-trafficking legal assistance project, which would
offer TIP training to legal service providers through local
bar associations (ref B). Ersoy reported to us that the
project will soon get underway, thanks to contributions of
the Dutch (40 percent) and Swedish (60 percent) governments.
The initial focus will be on Ankara. There is still room for
USG participation. Additional resources would allow IOM to
expand the training to other districts. We continue to
encourage Department funding of this useful initiative.
COMMENT: FOREIGN ASSISTANCE DOES NOT EQUAL
A LACK OF CONCERN
--------------
4. (SBU) COMMENT. As reported in ref A, the GOT's failure
to guarantee funding for Turkey's two dedicated TIP shelters
has been a perennial weakness in Turkey's otherwise
commendable counter-trafficking effort. Fortunately, it
appears the GOT is finally getting a handle on this issue,
albeit with EU support. International support, particularly
from Europe, will remain an important part of Turkey's
anti-trafficking efforts. Foreign assistance should not be
misinterpreted to signify a lack of GOT concern. Turkey is a
large, low-income, EU-accession country, and the beneficiary
of significant pre-accession, harmonization funds in a number
of areas. European contacts tell us the GOT has been a
strong partner, working diligently and constructively to
manage these resources and build its anti-TIP capacity.
Turkey is in a critical region and much remains to be done.
Limited, targeted U.S. funding would go a long way toward
deepening our own engagement with the GOT on this issue, and
help us further develop Turkey's capacity to continue to make
strides toward eliminating TIP.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, G/TIP JENNIFER DONNELLY, AMY ROFMAN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AFIN ELAB PHUM SMIG SOCI TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: RELIEF ON THE WAY FOR ANKARA TIP SHELTER
REF: A. ANKARA 2512
B. ANKARA 1893
ANKARA TIP SHELTER HANGS ON
--------------
1. (SBU) The Ankara TIP shelter, operated by the Foundation
for Women's Solidarity (FWS),remains open despite a
three-month funding short-fall. FWS could not pay salaries
in September, October, or November 2007. The Canadian
International Development Agency has responded positively to
the IOM Chief of Mission's appeal to Ambassadors on behalf of
the Ankara shelter (ref A). It will provide a small grant to
FWS to help cover unpaid salaries, though, without additional
assistance, a large portion of the last three months'
salaries will remain unpaid. Looking ahead, IOM Senior
Trafficking Assistant Meltem Ersoy told us the European
Commission (EC) delegation to Ankara and IOM are preparing to
sign an agreement this week on a two-year, 3 million Euro
comprehensive anti-trafficking program with Turkey. Upon
signing, both the Ankara and Istanbul shelters will receive
15-18 months guaranteed funding. The overall program will
address institutional capacity building, law enforcement
training, data management, and demand management. The EC has
already seconded an official to IOM to help oversee
implementation of the program in the first year. Ersoy noted
that delays in reaching agreement between the EC and IOM on
the program contributed to the funding short-fall at the
shelter, as the GOT had anticipated these funds becoming
available sooner.
2. (SBU) The EC-funded program is designed to support the
GOT's anti-trafficking national action plan (NAP). The NAP,
we are told, is nearly finalized and will soon arrive at the
PM's office for signature, with extensive input from, and
review by the Ministries of Justice, Interior and Foreign
Affairs. We expect guaranteed support for Turkey's TIP
shelters to be a key component of the NAP, and will report on
the plan as soon as it is adopted.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT UNDERWAY
--------------
3. (SBU) In addition to the emergency funding for Turkey's
TIP shelters, in July 2007 we had recommended USG support for
an IOM anti-trafficking legal assistance project, which would
offer TIP training to legal service providers through local
bar associations (ref B). Ersoy reported to us that the
project will soon get underway, thanks to contributions of
the Dutch (40 percent) and Swedish (60 percent) governments.
The initial focus will be on Ankara. There is still room for
USG participation. Additional resources would allow IOM to
expand the training to other districts. We continue to
encourage Department funding of this useful initiative.
COMMENT: FOREIGN ASSISTANCE DOES NOT EQUAL
A LACK OF CONCERN
--------------
4. (SBU) COMMENT. As reported in ref A, the GOT's failure
to guarantee funding for Turkey's two dedicated TIP shelters
has been a perennial weakness in Turkey's otherwise
commendable counter-trafficking effort. Fortunately, it
appears the GOT is finally getting a handle on this issue,
albeit with EU support. International support, particularly
from Europe, will remain an important part of Turkey's
anti-trafficking efforts. Foreign assistance should not be
misinterpreted to signify a lack of GOT concern. Turkey is a
large, low-income, EU-accession country, and the beneficiary
of significant pre-accession, harmonization funds in a number
of areas. European contacts tell us the GOT has been a
strong partner, working diligently and constructively to
manage these resources and build its anti-TIP capacity.
Turkey is in a critical region and much remains to be done.
Limited, targeted U.S. funding would go a long way toward
deepening our own engagement with the GOT on this issue, and
help us further develop Turkey's capacity to continue to make
strides toward eliminating TIP.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON