ANKAIR WILL COMPLY WITH DOC STOP-ORDER AND PLANE'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001073 SIPDIS DEPT OF COMMERCE FOR EXPORT ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JOHN SONDERMAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018 TAGS: EAIR ECON PREL TU IR SUBJECT: ANKAIR WILL COMPLY WITH DOC STOP-ORDER AND PLANE'S LOCATION CONFIRMED IN ISTANBUL REF: SONDERMAN/KIMBRELL 06/07/08 E-MAIL Classified By: A/ECON Counselor Rebecca Neff for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (SBU) On June 7, we received a copy of the June 6 Temporary Denial Order signed by Department of Commerce (DOC) Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Darryl Jackson, temporarily denying the export privileges of Turkish company Ankair from selling a Boeing 747 to British company Galaxy Aviation Trade Company Ltd., which DOC alleges is a front for Iran Air (ref A). Upon receipt, we sent the Order to the Turkish MFA via diplomatic note and distributed copies to the Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretariat Office in charge of export control and to the Turkish Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA). Our Consulate in Istanbul also contacted the owner and CEO of Ankair to ensure the company had received a copy of the Order ¶2. (C) Turkish MFA Iran and South Asia Head of Department Devrim Ozturk told us the MFA met on June 9 with Ankair representatives and DGCA officials about this issue. Ankair representatives said they bought the Boeing 747 in question for their own use but later learned that operating it in Turkey is complicated by registration procedures and lack of qualified pilots since Turkish cargo planes are generally smaller Airbus aircraft. Ankair representatives told the MFA that their attorneys in Washington, DC might appeal the Order. Otherwise, Ankair officials told the MFA, they will sell it in a manner compliant with U.S. law. Ozturk also said that the MFA supports the request in the diplomatic note and "wants to do things the right way." Ankair owner Yavuz Cizmeci confirmed to Consulate Istanbul on June 10 that the Boeing 747 aircraft is still at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport, and the company does not intend to sell the aircraft to an Iranian company. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON