BLUE LANTERN BROKER INQUIRY: VERIFYING BONA FIDES

UNCLAS ANKARA 001529 SIPDIS FOR PM/DTCC JOUBERT-LIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC TU SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN BROKER INQUIRY: VERIFYING BONA FIDES OF REGISTERED BROKER MEHMET KAAN ASENA - CASE NO. K-2274 REF: SECSTATE 99610 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: PolMil officer visited Altay Corporation on October 13 to meet with Vice President Mehmet Kaan Asena and a number of other principal officers. Based on the site visit, the information provided by Altay Corporation during the meeting and a name check conducted by Post RSO, we believe Altay Corporation is a legitimate company appropriately licensed by the Government of Turkey to engage in defense services. Company representatives were fully cooperative in answering our questions and made clear that the company does not engage in the brokering of items on the U.S. Munitions List; it does not have a storage facility for defense articles as it does not deal in the physical movement of defense hardware. Company representatives stressed that they only engage in business activities with companies in Turkey, the U.S. and other NATO countries, and that it does not have business dealings in countries outside of NATO. END SUMMARY. A Well-Established Defense Service Company -------------- ¶2. (SBU) According to the information provided by representatives of the company, Altay Group was established in 1957 and its principal officers include: M. Murad Dural (President),M. Kaan Asena (VP Admin and Finance),Tevfik Umut (VP Technical),Haydar Satirtav (IT Group Director),and Hasan Gencturk (Contracts and Legal General Director). The Altay Group is a member of the Turkish Industrialists' & Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and is the first Turkish defense firm to be included in the NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG). The Altay Group has 47 employees. Secure Facility -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The company is licensed by the Ministry of National Defense to engage in defense-related business and has been accredited by the Government of Turkey to handle Turkey's classified information. Mr. Asena showed us the company's NATO Clearance Certificate, the NATO AQAP-160 Certificate, the Ministry of Defense's (MND) Facility Security Certificate, the MND Software Development Certificate, and the National Security Certificate. An armed guard is posted at the entry of the facility around the clock. Visitors are asked to present a photo identification and all visitors are logged by the security guard. A Service Company that Does Not Deal in Hardware -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Company representatives told us that they do not handle or store defense articles for any of their clients, nor do they order USML components on behalf of their clients. Altay Group's primary business is providing consulting services for foreign defense firms. The group does not handle the import of defense articles into Turkey nor has it applied for an export license on behalf of itself or its clients. While the company has helped from time to time its customers clear items through Turkish Customs, it is not directly involved in the import or exports of defense articles. Company representatives stated that they do not have a secure warehouse facility to store USML items since they are not engaged in the import, export or storage of defense articles. ¶5. (SBU) Based on the site visit, the information provided by company representatives and a name check conducted by Post,s RSO, post believes the Altay Corporation is a bona fide defense services company. JEFFREY "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"