TURKEY: NEW NATIONAL PROJECT TO COMBAT TIP

UNCLAS ANKARA 001789

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR: G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/SE, EUR/PGI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF ELAB TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: NEW NATIONAL PROJECT TO COMBAT TIP

REF: A. ANKARA 273

B. 08 ANKARA 1956


1. (SBU) MFA Department Head for Migration and Asylum Berlan
Alan told us December 10 his ministry is spearheading a
multi-agency effort to create a comprehensive plan for
addressing trafficking in persons (TIP) in Turkey. The plan
will propose legislation that, if approved, would empower the
Ministry of Finance to allocate money to individual
ministries or NGOs that would take responsibility for some
aspect of TIP.


2. (SBU) Alan told us the Prime Ministry approved the second
national action plan against TIP in June, which had been
awaiting approval for some time. The new action plan will
complement an ongoing EU project aimed at developing
sustainablitiy in the fight against trafficking. As part of
the new action plan and to prepare for the end of funding
from the EU project, the MFA is leading a new "national
project." This project comprises representatives from the
Ministries of Interior, Justice, and Labor, as well as from
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and NGOs.
The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive plan to
address trafficking in persons. The plan will identify a
ministry or NGO that can be designated as responsible for an
aspect of combating TIP. The MFA hopes to then develop
legislation to secure GOT funding for each responsible
entity. The MFA goal is to have the draft plan ready in
March to present to the DPT (State Planning Organization.)
In May, the MFA hopes to have the draft legislation approved
by the DPT and ready for consideration by parliament.


3. (SBU) Alan told us he expects some difficulty with the
Ministry of Finance (MoF),and is trying to proactively
resolve potential problems. He said in the past his office
submitted requests for funding to the MoF, which rejected
them without explanation. Alan invited the MoF to
participate in the meetings in order to help guide them on
proper preparation of TIP funding legislation, but they have
not yet accepted. He also foresees a potential funding
shortage, particularly for IOM and some of the NGOs in the
interim period, as the legislation will not be approved for
funding this year (as Turkey's budget deliberations end
December 31.) The MFA will work with IOM and the NGOs to
apply to the Prime Ministry for TIP shelter funding and to
outside sources for other funding until the legislation is
approved.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: Turkey faces a continual struggle with
sustained funding for TIP. This proposed plan, if enacted,
would solve much of the funding issues faced by the GOT, IOM,
and NGOs, particularly for shelters that currently have no
dedicated funding and face uncertain futures.
Silliman

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