TURKEY: TSA MOVES FORWARD ON PROVIDING SECURITY TRAINING

UNCLAS ANKARA 000252 SIPDIS ATHENS PLEASE PASS TSA FOR DAN FURLONG TSA FOR AA OGS BILL GACHES SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O.12356:N/A TAGS: PTER EAIR TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: TSA MOVES FORWARD ON PROVIDING SECURITY TRAINING FOR DGCA This message is Sensitive-But-Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) During a January 22 meeting, Embassy Athens Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Representative Daniel Furlong and Turkish Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) Deputy Director General for Security Haydar Yalcin discussed various training programs previously requested by the DGCA from TSA. Yalcin said that the 2006 ICAO Universal Security Audit Program (USAP) initial assessment and the 2007 ICAO USAP follow-up visit identified the development of a screener certification standard as an open item requiring corrective action. Yalcin's office must develop an Action Plan to respond to the ICAO report and would like to include a statement that TSA is providing assistance in this area. To help develop Turkey's screener certification standard, Yalcin asked if it would be possible for DGCA to review TSA's screener certification standard. Furlong explained that this document could only be released with the permission of TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. ¶2. (SBU) The DGCA also requested assistance from TSA on the following subjects: -- Crisis Management Program Development -- Passenger Screening Technologies Data (Millimeter Wave) -- Passenger Screening Protocol (TSA SOP) -- Hold Baggage Screening Protocol (TSA SOP) -- Passenger Screening Checkpoint Equipment Daily Operational Test Calibration Standard and Methodology -- Screener Certification Standard and Methodology ¶3. (SBU) At Yalcin's request, we are submitting DGCA's request to review TSA's screener certification standard to TSA headquarters for consideration. WILSON