FOREIGN ASSISTANCE: TURKISH BUDGET IS TRANSPARENT

UNCLAS ANKARA 000536 SENSITIVE SIPDIS EEB/IFD/OMA FOR JULIA JACOBY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PREL TU SUBJECT: FOREIGN ASSISTANCE: TURKISH BUDGET IS TRANSPARENT REF: STATE 28885 ¶1. Per reftel, Turkey does make publicly available on an annual basis its national budget, including income and expenditures. Therefore, it is in full compliance with Section 7088(c)(1) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2009. ¶2. The Government of Turkey does receive U.S. foreign assistance funded using FY 2009 funds, including Foreign Military Financing and International Military Education and Training. ¶3. The Turkish budget is publicly available from multiple sources (paper copy on request from the Finance Ministry, online, and via the Official Gazette). ¶4. Income and expenditures are included in the budget, which accurately reflects these items. ¶5. Turkey, as a long-time recipient of funds from the International Monetary Fund and as a candidate country for the European Union, has active and continuous scrutiny of its budget and budget process. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey Jeffrey