Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ANKARA1619
2008-09-10 12:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT- (AUGUST 2008)

Tags:  ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1619/01 2541246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101246Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7403
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC
UNCLAS ANKARA 001619 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NP/ECC- YWONG, ACHURCH, BGOLDEN
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE- KFITZPATRICK, BHUNT, PMALIK
DOE/NNSA- TPERRY, LPARKER, RTALLEY, EDESCHLER
CBP/INA- BPICKETT
DOC FOR DCREED

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT- (AUGUST 2008)

REF: ANKARA 1441

Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle appropriately.

UNCLAS ANKARA 001619

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NP/ECC- YWONG, ACHURCH, BGOLDEN
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE- KFITZPATRICK, BHUNT, PMALIK
DOE/NNSA- TPERRY, LPARKER, RTALLEY, EDESCHLER
CBP/INA- BPICKETT
DOC FOR DCREED

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT- (AUGUST 2008)

REF: ANKARA 1441

Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle appropriately.


1. Summary: EXBS Advisor and Coordinator finalized agenda
and logistics for the Sept. 17-18 EXBS Nonproliferation
Seminar, to he held in Ankara. DOE/SLD provided Turkey's
first training on SLD provided radiation detection pagers,
survey instruments and RIDDS to TNP's Bomb Disposal experts.
Turkish Customs Enforcement request for VIP visit to DHS/CBP
expanded to include Turkish Customs Directorate. End Summary.


2. Completed Actions for the Reporting Period:


A. Meetings During Recent Reporting Period by EXBS Advisor
and Coordinator:

1) Aug 7 - Met w/Undersecretariat of Customs, Director
General for EU and External Relations, Riza Mehmet Korkmaz,
his deputy Ihsan Kocer, and his Training and EU Accession
Harmonization officers, Sevil Karaca and Aysin Ozguven. We
discussed the proposed VIP visit request of Director General
for Customs Enforcement Neset Erkoc (contained at end of
section A. of last months cable). Korkmaz agreed this would
be a valuable visit for Erkoc since he is new to Customs. He
noted that this fall would be an ideal time for this visit
and should include members of both Customs and Customs
Enforcement, with Erkoc the Head of delegation. Advisor
noted that the dates will need to be worked out with ISN/ECC
and DHS/CBP and that we would notify him of proposed dates
and begin planning this visit. (Note: Ankara 1441 includes
an action request to plan this VIP visit during early - mid
November, if possible. Customs is seeking this visit as soon
as possible. End Note).

2) Aug 13 - Met again with Deputy Ihsan Kocer for lunch to
discuss the need to move ahead with updating Turkish Custom
training curriculum even though the new training academy
concept has been suspended. Turkish Customs has not had a
formal training program for new Customs officers or
professional development for seasoned officers for over two
years. Advisor noted that DHS/CBP is available to move ahead

in support of Turkish curriculum development efforts as soon
as possible.

3) Aug 15 - EXBS Team met/with TNP Bomb Academy Deputy
Director Kanbi Apaydin, to confirm all details for SLD
training was in place. During this meeting, Apaydin agreed
that we should meet again with SLD representatives on the
margins of this training to identify further training and
equipment requirements to help incorporate the radiation
detection training into TNP's Bomb Disposal Academy
curriculum.

4) Aug 16 - EXBS Advisor met w/Pacific Northwest Laboratory
(PNL) training team members Michael Tinker and Shannon
Crowell to review DOE/SLDs Radiological Hand-held Detector
training goals and objectives, and to provide them with a
better understanding of Turkish Customs, interagency dynamics
in Turkey, Turkish sensitivities toward the SLD program, and
general security awareness issues for Ankara.

5) Aug 17 - Met TNP's Bomb Deputy Director Apaydin with PNL
team and worked with team to set up training rooms for
Mondays' radiation detection class with TNP Bomb disposal
teams.

6) Aug 18 - EXBS Team attended each of six 2-day radiation
detection training classes and provided opening statements.
The six classes provided training to 48 TNP Bomb experts and
1 Customs Enforcement officer. Advisor attended the opening
or graduation ceremonies during the two weeks of training and
all training sessions exceeded TNP's expectations. Post
notes that each PNL trainer did an outstanding job.

7) Aug 20 - Met w/TNP Criminal Police Laboratory and Bomb
Disposal Unit Head of Section, Cengiz Ozdemir and his Kanbi
Apaydin, Deputy of the Bomb Academy, to introduce Dan
Guerrero, Embassy LEDET, and several TDY Regional Affairs
Officers. The LEDET and RAO is seeking to provide ongoing
enforcement and Bomb disposal training and equipment to TNP's
Bomb Disposal units. Ozem indicated a desire to follow-up
with LEDET in the future to access to assistance program.

8) Aug 26 - EXBS Team and Craig Nelson, from PNL team, met
w/TNP Assistant Director for Counter-terrorism and Operations
Division, Ahmet Yayla and TNP Bomb Academy Deputy Director
Apaydin at the Bomb Academy. Advisor and Nelson previewed
the training provided to Turkey to date and solicited Yayla
and Apaydin's views on the next phase of DOE/SLD - TNP
engagement. Yayla asked for additional hand-held equipment
for all TNP bomb experts and requested to have PNL provide
TNP with train-the-trainer curriculum and training to empower
TNP to provide this training themselves in the future. A
full report was sent via email to DOE/SLD's Erik Deschler by
Craig Nelson regarding future TNP requirements.

9) Met again with MFA's Elif Ulgen and finalized the schedule
and logistical requirements for the Sept. 17-18 EXBS Seminar.
MFA will provide conference facilities, AV, translation
equipment, refreshments and light lunches as the co-host. We
will meet again early September to review seminar logistics.
During this meeting, Ulgen confirmed that MFA would support
both the Turkish Customs VIP visit and the U.S. providing
further hand-held radiation detection equipment and training
to Customs Enforcement later in the fall.

Action Request: Per last months report (reftel),Advisor and
GOT supports a senior Customs/Customs Enforcement delegation
visit to the US. Turkish Customs believes that early to mid
November is an ideal time for this visit. Request ECC and
DHS/CBP advise on funding and scheduling availability for
this visit. If approved, Customs' External Affairs office
will also participate in this visit.


B. (U) Training Conducted During this Reporting Period: -
DOE/SLD provided six 2-day hand-held radiation detection
training classes to 48 TNP Bomb experts and 1 Customs
official, marking the first DOE/SLD training effort in Turkey.


C. (U) Equipment Delivered During this Reporting Period: No
EXBS Equipment delivered this period. DOE/SLD delivered 200
radiation detection pagers, 24 hand held Survey units, and 10
Identifier RIDDS (Note: 1 RIDD was returned via UPS to SLD
for repair/replacement) in conjunction with the training
outlined in Section B.


D. (U) Imminent Training or Equipment Status Update: Senior
Turkish Customs VIP visit to US DHS/CBP and related training
and border units is sought for mid November time frame.


E. (U) Significant Developments in Export Controls,
Nonproliferation, or Related Border Security: EXBS Team
translated the proposed additions to Turkey's Export Control
Laws currently with Parliament and has provided an English
copy of this draft legislation to DOE/NNSA and ISN/ECC.


3. (U) Future Activities: Embassy Ankara will co-host with
Turkish MFA the EXBS Nonproliferation Symposium in Ankara on
17 - 18 September, 2008. Over 15 U.S. and 30 Turkish
officials representing a wide range of agencies with export
control and nonproliferation responsibilities are expected to
attend this seminar.


A. EXBS Advisor will be on extended leave during the month
of October and EXBS TDY Advisor will arrive Ankara September
17th to offer EXBS program support during his absence.


4. (U) Red Flag Issues: None.


5. (U) Contact information for EXBS Program Ankara is:
Robert Cieslinski, EXBS Advisor, Email:
CieslinskiRL@state.gov, Office (90) (312) 457-7210, Cell (90)
(533) 716-4808 and Erhan Mert, EXBS Coordinator, Email:
MertE2@state.gov, Office(90)312 457-7059, Cell (90) (533)
264-8407. EXBS Program Office Fax (90) (312) 468-4775.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON