PRUDENTIAL REVOCATIONS: NEED FOR TIMELY RESOLUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000057 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL:: 01/10/2018 TAGS: CVIS CMGT TU SUBJECT: PRUDENTIAL REVOCATIONS: NEED FOR TIMELY RESOLUTION REF: 07 ANKARA 2195 Classified by: Charge Nancy McEldowney for reasons 1.4(b),(d) ¶1. (U) Post enthusiastically supports of the prudential revocation process and the vital role it plays in our border security. We also know that the review of the reapplications is a multi-agency process. However, the sensitivity of prudential revocations, which often involve prominent figures, compels us to give greater priority to the security advisory opinions for prudential revocation reapplications. ¶2. (U) This past spring, we saw eight prudential revocations of Turkish visa holders in close sequence. Of these eight, four elected to submit a new visa application right away. Of the four cases submitted in the May/June 2007 timeframe, none have received a final decision. A fifth revocation case from November is also awaiting response. ¶3. (C) An illustrative case is that of Dr. Serif Ali Tekalan. Despite multiple efforts at follow-up on July 13, November 1, and November 8, including a heads-up that the case had been raised with our Ambassador by the President of Turkey, we got no response. On December 31 we saw a request for additional details about the applicant, though the status of the case at this date is still pending. ¶4. (C) Frustration of another sort was caused by the revocation of the visa of Osman Baydemir, the mayor of Diyarbakir, which is a major city in Turkey. Efforts to engage in a discussion of the underlying logic for his visa revocation gained little traction; see reftel for postQs concerns. Baydemir has not reapplied for a visa. ¶5. (SBU) At this date post is waiting for response on the following prudential revocation reapplications: Suleyman Tiftik (DOB 31 May 1965): SAO sent 5/10/07, follow-ups were sent 7/13, 9/1 and 12/6. Mehmet Hanefi Sozen (DOB 03 Jan 1972): SAO sent 6/18/07, follow-ups sent 7/27, 9/1, 11/1 Serif Ali Tekalan (DOB 11/1/1952): Qsent 5/25/07, follow-ups 7/13 11/1, 11/9, 12/31 Nihat Gurkan (DOB 27 Aug 1939): SAO sent 11/9/07, follow-up sent 1/8 Semih Tugrul Genc (DOB 19 Nov 1962): SAO sent 5/7/2007, follow- ups 7/11 and 11/23. ¶6. (U) Timely resolution of these cases will position us to effectively address security concerns while also advancing policy and public diplomacy objectives. We are not advocating for a particular outcome in any specific case, but simply requesting the clarity and timeliness necessary for us to operate in an effective fashion. McELDOWNEY