US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1700

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR DS, EB/TRA/OTP - RADETSKY/WALKLET AND EUR/SE 
ROME FOR FAA AND CUSTOMS/ICE 
PARIS FOR TSA 
DHS FOR TSA, ICE AND FAMS - RICH STEIN 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, EAIR, TU 
SUBJECT:  Persistence of Aviation-Related Gap in Border 
Controls 
 
Ref: (A) Ankara 1386 (B) Paris 1925 
 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please Handle Accordingly. 
 
 
1. (U) This is an action cable.  Please see paras 10 and 
11. 
 
 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
 
2. (SBU) GOT and Turkish Airlines officials told us 
that, despite a recent decision to institute border and 
customs controls at the first airport of entry, the 
current gap in border security may persist into 2005. 
Turkish Airlines' Security Director told us the airline 
strongly supports creation of a air marshal program. 
Embassy urges Washington agencies to register USG 
concern over the glaring loophole in border controls 
through a letter or nonpaper to appropriate GOT 
officials.  End Summary. 
 
 
Gap in Immigration/Customs Control 
---------------------------------- 
 
 
3. (SBU) Econoff discussed aviation security issues with 
Turkish Airlines (THY) Security Director Ahmet Kanik on 
March 11, and with the Directorate General of Civil 
Aviation's (DGCA) Security Director Erdal Ugur on March 
16.  As reported reftel, the National Civil Aviation 
Security Council (NCASC) decided to take steps to return 
to a system requiring international passengers to clear 
customs and border control at the initial point of entry 
to Turkey, but renovations to enable passengers to claim 
and recheck their luggage at the international terminal 
at Istanbul Ataturk Airport must be completed first. 
 
 
4. (SBU) Kanik opined that the change would not happen 
anytime soon, since the NCASC had decided that a 
conveyor belt must be procured and installed at the 
international terminal so that passengers can recheck 
their baggage prior to walking to the domestic terminal 
for connecting flights.  Kanik said the GOT has not 
budgeted for the equipment, which would cost about USD 
one million, and that, even if the funds were available, 
it could take as long as a year to get the new equipment 
and the new system up and running. 
 
 
5. (SBU) Kanik suggested that it would be preferable for 
the GOT to perform border controls for all incoming 
passengers at the initial port of entry, but allow 
passengers to clear customs at their final destinations. 
He said that, in any case, passengers would have to pass 
through the international terminals at their destination 
airports to claim their baggage, and for this reason 
would not avoid customs control.  Note:  The GOT 
previously implemented a split border and customs 
control regime as described by Kanik.  End Note. 
 
 
6. (SBU) Kanik said he and the airline were extremely 
concerned about the current system, which de facto 
leaves the decision to go through border controls up to 
the connecting passenger.  When Econoff noted that the 
USG was also concerned about the problem and had raised 
it with GOT officials many times, Kanik suggested that a 
written communication with the GOT was more likely to 
yield results. 
 
 
7. (SBU) Ugur largely confirmed Kanik's account of the 
NCASC decision on this issue.  He said that the GOT 
aimed to complete a feasibility study by the end of 
2004, and to implement renovations by the end of 2005, 
but noted that the GOT would do everything possible to 
complete at least the feasibility study within the next 
few months.  He acknowledged that no funds had been 
budgeted for the renovation, and said the GOT was 
examining ways of obtaining the necessary resources. 
Ugur stated that the GOT might opt to return to a split 
border/customs control regime if the renovations could 
not be completed swiftly. 
 
 
Air Marshals 
------------ 
 
 
8. (SBU) Kanik told us that THY is very supportive of 
the concept of putting armed law enforcement officers 
(LEOs) on flights, and suggested training and deploying 
25 two-person teams for this program.  At the NCASC 
meeting, THY offered the GOT two free seats (one in 
business class and one in economy) on selected flights 
for LEOs.  According to Kanik, the NCASC put off a 
decision on this matter by tasking out feasibility 
studies.  Ugur told us that a key element of these 
studies is an examination of air marshal programs 
elsewhere.  He reiterated previous GOT requests for 
background on the U.S. program (ref A). 
 
 
Comment/Action Request 
---------------------- 
 
 
9. (SBU) Turkey's current system, which allows anyone 
transferring from an international to a domestic flight 
within Turkey to avoid border and customs checks, could 
be exploited by terrorist and criminal elements.  While 
we have raised this issue repeatedly, up to the 
ministerial level, the GOT is moving slowly.  Embassy 
strongly recommends that Washington agencies consider 
some form of written correspondence, such as a letter 
from the TSA Administrator to the Interior Minister on 
this subject. 
 
 
10. (SBU) Embassy appreciates ref B's preliminary 
response on our air marshal program and looks forward to 
receiving information which we can pass to the GOT. 
Edelman