EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT - (SEPTEMBER 2008)

UNCLAS ANKARA 001787 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 - (SEPTEMBER 2008) Sensitive but unclassified. Please handle appropriately. ¶1. Summary: Activities this month focused primarily on executing the Sept. 17-18 Nonproliferation Seminar and making arrangements for the Customs VIP visit to the U.S. in November. EXBS also accompanied DOE/SLD rep to meetings with the Turkish national Police in support of their program. End Summary. ¶2. Completed Actions for the Reporting Period: The 17-18 September Nonproliferation Seminar, co-sponsored by the Office of Export Control Cooperation (ISN/ECC) and the Turkish MFA, brought together fifteen U.S. and over thirty Turkish officials with nonproliferation, export control and border security responsibilities. Following the conclusion of the bi-lateral nonproliferation agreement in June 2008, the seminar provided an opportunity to present to the GOT interagency representatives an overview of the EXBS program and other U.S. programs available to support bilateral nonproliferation cooperation. The seminar highlighted opportunities for bilateral cooperation to strengthen Turkey's nonproliferation regime. MFA Deputy Director General for Nonproliferation Ahmet Muhtar Gun welcomed the U.S. presentations, pledged to conduct an internal needs assessment to deconflict activities that Turkey is undertaking with the EU, and promised a GOT interagency-agreed response to the various areas of possible engagement with the U.S. Gun emphasized the need for timely and accurate intelligence to ensure effective coordination in cases involving sensitive shipments, and urged the U.S. to press countries of origin to do more to prevent the shipment of proliferation-sensitive goods. (Reftel ANKARA 01721) ¶A. Meetings During Recent Reporting Period by EXBS Advisor and Coordinator: 1) Sep 5th-EXBS Advisor and Coordinator met with representatives of the European Commission to Turkey, Trade Officer Arslan Umut Ergezer and Sector Manager Burce Ari. We discussed the latest visits paid by EU experts to the land border gates in eastern and western part of Turkey. According to draft EU assessments, most of the gates in eastern Turkey need major renovation and infrastructure work. We requested a copy of the report but our request was declined since the report is considered confidential and has not been approved by EU HQ in Belgium. 2) Sep 12th-EXBS Advisor and Coordinator met with Deputy DG of Customs Enforcement Mehmet Guzel. We discussed the possible dates for the proposed senior Customs/Customs Enforcement delegation visit to the U.S. DHS/CBP HQ, National Targeting Center, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Port of Charleston, Port of San Ysidro, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. We agreed that the delegation will consist of Head of Department or above level and Director General of Customs Enforcement Neset Akkoc will head the delegation. This visit is tentatively scheduled for November 12-24. 3) Sep 19th- EXBS Advisor, TDY Advisor, EXBS Coordinator and DoE/SLD Program Manager Erik Deschler met with TNP External Affairs Head of Department Recep Gultekin and Ahmet Yayla from TNP Counter Terrorism Division. Mr.Gultekin thanked DOE and EXBS for to the ongoing cooperation and the handheld pager training conducted at TNP Bomb Disposal Unit in Golbasi. Advisor also thanked Mr.Gultekin for their hospitality provided to the training team and the support provided by his office during the training. Mr.Gultekin requested to have the same training for the remainder of the bomb disposal specialists and asked about the possibility of providing additional pagers, survey meters and radiation isotope identifiers. Deschler stated that they were ready to provide more equipment and the training for the remainder of the specialists and offered to provide two mobile detection proto type vans to enhance the capacity of TNP for radiation detection. Mr.Gultekin stated TNP was ready to accept the first two vans, test them, and later decide on a possible request for additional vans. He also asked whether any formal agreement or letter is required to accept the two proto type van donations. Deschler responded that for the first two vans, it was not necessary but for the additional equipment some type of letter of acceptance but not an agreement may be required. 4) Sep 19th-Since the Bomb Disposal Unit is under the TNP Laboratory, the same team met with TNP Criminal Police Laboratory Head of Department Seyit Demirci and Deputy of Head of Bomb Disposal Unit Kambi Apaydin. We were told that they were very satisfied with the training provided by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) training team and they plan to include this training in their curriculums. Mr. Apaydin stated that they would like to continue cooperation under SLD program and they could start the process for two radiation detection vans. He also inquired about possible HAZMAT training for the TNP officers. Advisor responded that the earliest possibility for HAZMAT training was early spring of 2009. Mr.Deschler provided some pictures of the vans and gave brief technical details about them. He added that they were still testing some new functions on the vans at their laboratories and these functions would improve the detection capabilities of the vans. ¶B. (U) Training Conducted During this Reporting Period: - None ¶C. (U) Equipment Delivered During this Reporting Period: No EXBS Equipment delivered this period. DOE/SLD delivered 3 radiation detection pagers to Customs Enforcement. ¶D. (U) Imminent Training or Equipment Status Update: Senior Turkish Customs VIP visit to US DHS/CBP and related training and border units is scheduled between November 12-24,2008. ¶E. (U) Significant Developments in Export Controls, Nonproliferation or Related Border Security: Embassy Ankara co-hosted with Turkish MFA the EXBS Nonproliferation Seminar 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 attended this seminar. ¶3. (U) Future Activities: ¶A. TDY EXBS Advisor arrived on September 17th and will depart October 17th. EXBS Advisor Cieslinski will return November 1st. ¶4. (U) Red Flag Issues: None. ¶5. (U) Contact information for EXBS Program Ankara is: Kevin Cummings, EXBS TDY Advisor, Email: CummingsK@state.gov, Office (90) (312) 457-7210, 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