CITES COP15 OUTREACH: TURKEY SUPPORTS All US-PROPOSED

UNCLAS ANKARA 000293 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/ENRC: Lloyd Gamble E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KSCA CITES AORC UNEP TU SUBJECT: CITES COP15 OUTREACH: TURKEY SUPPORTS All US-PROPOSED SPECIES LISTINGS/DE-LISTINGS REFERENCE: A. STATE 6668; B. ANKARA 200 ¶1. (SBU) On January 27, we delivered reftel A points to the MFA, which shared the information with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MEF) (reftel B). Having sought and received comments from all relevant GOT agencies on the U.S. proposals for CITES COP15, MEF informed us on February 23 that Turkey will support listing of the family Coralliidae in Appendix II and removal of bobcat (Lynx rufus) from Appendix II. Turkey will also support the U.S. proposals for listing of six shark species in Appendix II and for transferring the polar bear from Appendix II to Appendix I. ¶2. (SBU) Although we did not request comments on bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus),MEF informed us Turkey believes it is too early to list the species in Appendix I. They support allowing more time for recent International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) initiatives to have an effect and improving ICCAT regulations in line with relevant scientific advice and transparent and fair implementation of management measures. ¶3. (SBU) The GOT delegation to COP15 will include the following: Dr. Serap YILMAZ Veterinarian Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks Department of Nature Conservation serapyilmaz@cevreorman.gov.tr Gokhan SEYHAN Agriculture engineer Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks Department of Hunting and Wild Life gseyhan@cevreorman.gov.tr Hasan KILIC Engineer Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs General Directorate of Protection and Control hasank@kkgm.gov.tr Dr. Ece GOKOK Agricultural engineer Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs General Directorate of Agricultural Production and Development ece.tanrivermis@tarim.gov.tr Dr. Oguz TURKOZAN Adnan Menderes University Department of Biology oguz.turkozan@gmail.com Mahmut DAGASAN Deputy Manager Ministry of Environment and Forestry Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry dagasanmahmut@yahoo.com Hasan PASALI Veterinarian Ministry of Environment and Forestry Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry pasalihasan@gmail.com Hamit KURTULUS Deputy of Province of Istanbul Ministry of Environment and Forestry Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry hmt-kurtulus@hotmail.com Hakan MUMCUOGLU Chief of section Ministry of Environment and Forestry The Provincial Directorate of Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry hakan.mumcuoglu@hotmail.com Esra DAGLI Veterinarian Ministry of Environment and Forestry Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry vetesradagli@hotmail.com Abdulkadir OZTURK Forestry engineer Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Forestry abdulkadirozturk@ogm.gov.tr Belkis GURSEL GULEC Chief of section Undersecratariat of Foreign Trade General Directorate of Import gurselb@dtm.gov.tr Burcu ISKENDER DUGENCIOGLU Expert Undersecratariat of Foreign Trade General Directorate of Import iskenderb@dtm.gov.tr Ibrahim ATASOY Customs expert Undersecratariat of Customs General Directorate of Customs atasoy@gumruk.gov.tr JEFFREY