CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR

UNCLAS ANKARA 000381 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AFIN AMGT OREP OTRA PGOV TK TRY SUBJECT: CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR SECRETARY EVAN FEIGENBA@wy SIPDIS clearance to DeputQ Feigenbaum and Econsch for their visit to A.kara and Istanbul February 25-27, 2007. ¶2. (U) Cathy Westley, Political Officer, is your control officer for Ankara. She can be reached at: Office 011-90-312-455-5555, ext 2513; Home: 011-90-312-441-4301; Cellular: 011-90-532-667-2146. Rusty Ingraham, Political Officer, is your control officer for Istanbul. He can be reached at: Office 011-90-212-335-9385, Home: 011-90-212-351-6845; Cellular: 011-90-533-520-7031. ¶3. (U) VIP lounge access has been requested and Cathy Westley will meet you upon arrival in Ankara. Hotel reservations are confirmed in Ankara on February 25-26 at the Swissotel, Yildizevler Mahallesi, Jose Marti Cad. No. 2, Cankaya, Tel: 90-312-409-3000, fax: 90-312-409-3399. In Istanbul, Mr. Deutsch will be staying on February 27 at the Radisson SAS Bosphorus Hotel, Ciragan Caddesi No. 46, Ortakoy, tel: 90-212-310-1500, fax: 90-212-310-1515. ¶4. (U) Visas: Please note that all Americans entering Turkey must have a valid Visa. The only exception is military personnel under CINC control traveling on NATO orders. Military IDs are not/not acceptable travel documents. Travelers with tourist passports can obtain a Visa valid for one entry/three months at ports of entry upon payment of a USD 30 fee in cash. (This fee is payable only U.S. dollars cash.) Holders of official or diplomatic passports must obtain Visas from the nearest Turkish Embassy (not Consulate) before arriving in Turkey. Visas for official and diplomatic passports will not/not be available at ports of entry. ¶5. (U) Health Safety: Information on vaccinations and other health precautions can be obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention hotline for international travelers (tel: 1-877-394-747); fax 1-800-232-3299; or via the internet at HTTP//www.cdc.gov. ¶6. (U) Security Assessment: In light of ongoing military operations in Iraq and continued operations in support of the war on terrorism, there remains the potential for both transnational and indigenous terrorist groups with anti-Western sympathies, to include Kongra Gel (formerly PKK),Revolutionary People's Liberation/Front (DHKP/C), Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) Turkish Communist Party/Marxist Leninist (TKP/ML),Turkish Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army (TIKKO) and Islamic Greater Eastern Raiders/Front (IBDA/C) continue to operate in Turkey. Attacks over the last few years, attributed to these groups, have occurred in the Aegean and Mediterranean coastal resort areas, as well as in Istanbul. In Istanbul, most of the attacks, generally small-scale bombings, have occurred in neighborhoods not generally frequented by official Americans or tourists. Also in 2005 and 2006 public buses have been set on fire, with the most recent incident resulting in three deaths. Thus far, these attacks on buses also have taken place in areas of Istanbul distant from official American or tourist destinations. The Kurdish Freedom Falcons (TAK),a group ostensibly aligned with the PKK terrorists, claimed responsibility for many of the incidents noted above, and in April 2006 this group issued a statement renewing a threat to target Turkey's tourism industry. The most recent incidents claimed by this group occurred in summer 2006 and included explosions in the town of Manavgat (Antalya Province),Marmaris, and in the city of Antalya. Both Turkish and foreign citizens were injured and killed. Violent demonstrations have occurred throughout Turkey, the most recent in Istanbul and in several cities in Southeastern Turkey. Just as with members of Mission Turkey, USG visitors are required to obtain RSO Ankara and DCM approval for travel to the Southeast Al-Qa'ida threats to target U.S. facilities in Turkey have been public knowledge for some time. On November 15. 2003, two synagogues in Istanbul were the targets of suicide truck bombs. On November 20, 2003, the British Consulate General and the London based HSBC Bank in Istanbul were struck by powerful explosions, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. Though prosecutions of those responsible are still ongoing, indications are that the Al-Qa'ida network supported the indigenous radical Islamic terrorist group responsible. The August 2005 discovery in Antalya of a potential plot against maritime interests and subsequent arrest of a Syrian Al-Qa'ida facilitator and planner further attest to the ongoing transnational threat. The incidence of crime, both violent and the more traditional tourists cres (pick pocketing, pur relatively low throughr the last year, th`@s ticularly attentive for pick pockets in and around the Sultanahmet, Taksim Square, and Istiklal Caddesi areas of Istanul. Often pick pocketing is preceded by some sQrt of diversion, such as an argument or fightQ or children asking to assist tourists, for example with their bags. If you encounter such activity, secure your wallet or purse and quickly leave the area. Another scam that is becoming more prevalent is that of a stranger approaching a visitor and striking up a conversation, which is continued inside a restaurant or club, at which point one is either drugged and robbed or presented with an enormous bill and intimidated into paying it. The security office encourages visitors to report any security incidents, including surveillance, to the RSO immediately. Useful security information about Turkey is available on the following websites: --Embassy Ankara: HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR (Click on Security Matters) --Consulate General Istanbul: HTTP://WWW.USCONSULATE-ISTANBUL.ORG.TR ¶7. (U) For further information regarding travel in Turkey, consult the consular information sheet. The consulate information sheet and public announcements are available on the internet at: HTTP://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV Other information is available on the following websites: --The State Department Consular Affairs (CA) websites: HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/TURKEY.HTML --US Embassy Ankara: HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON