(C/REL TO USA, FVEY) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 088240 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2034 TAGS: PINR TU SUBJECT: (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN TURKEY,S NUCLEAR PROGRAM (C-WP9-01486) Classified By: MICHAEL P. OWENS, ACTING DIR, INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C/NF) SENIOR POLICYMAKERS IN WASHINGTON CONTINUE TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN TURKEY'S NUCLEAR EFFORTS, INCLUDING LEADERSHIP CHANGES WITHIN ANKARA'S NUCLEAR COMMUNITY. WASHINGTON ANALYSTS ARE SEEKING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING ASSERTIONS MADE IN A MID-JUNE 2009 TURKISH ARTICLE IN THE VATAN NEWSPAPER (GAZETVATAN.COM) THAT AN "APPOINTMENT CRISIS" EXISTS AT THE TURKISH ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (TAEK). THE CURRENT TAEK CHAIR, OKAY CAKIROGLU, REPORTEDLY IS SEEKING TO RETIRE AFTER LEARNING FROM PRESS REPORTING THAT THE TURKISH ENERGY MINISTER APPOINTED ZAFER ALTER TO LEAD THE TAEK. ZAFER ALTER IS PROBABLY THE SAME ZAFER ALPER, WHO REPRESENTED ANKARA IN INTERNATIONAL FORUMS IN 2004 WHEN HE WAS SERVING AS THE HEAD OF THE NUCLEAR SAFETY DEPARTMENT AT THE TAEK. AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, ANY INFORMATION POSTS CAN PROVIDE ON CHANGES IN TURKISH NUCLEAR LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP VIEWS ON TURKEY'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM WOULD BE VALUABLE. MANY THANKS. 1) (SBU) PLEASE DESCRIBE THE REFERENCED "APPOINTMENT CRISIS" AT THE TAEK. WHAT SPAWNED THE CRISIS? WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THE CRISIS? 2) (SBU) WHY IS THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE TAEK, OKAY CAKIROGLU, RETIRING? WHEN WILL HIS RETIREMENT TAKE EFFECT? WHAT, IF ANY, FUTURE INPUT INTO TURKEY'S NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS WILL CAKIROGLU HAVE? 3) (SBU) PLEASE PROVIDE BIOGRAPHIC DETAILS ON ZAFER ALTER (ALT. ZAFER "ALPER"),TO INCLUDE HIS VIEWS OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN TURKEY, DEVELOPMENT OF ENRICHMENT AND REPROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES, AND/OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COVERT NUCLEAR FACILITIES? 4) (C/REL TO USA, FVEY) WHO MANAGES THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF TURKEY'S NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS? WHO ARE THE KEY PLAYERS OR ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED? WHAT ARE THEIR VIEWS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE ANKARA'S NUCLEAR PLANS? ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-WP9-01486 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON