US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1989

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001989 
 
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 - RICHARD STEIN 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, EAIR, BEXP, TU 
SUBJECT:  Update on Civair Safety Security; Civair 
Officials to Visit Washington 
 
 
Ref: Ankara 1700 
 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please Handle Accordingly. 
 
 
1. (U) This is an action cable.  Please see para 7. 
 
 
2. (SBU) Summary:  Acting DCM pressed the Acting 
Transport Ministry Undersecretary for GOT action on air 
safety and security deficiencies in an April 1 meeting. 
The Undersecretary told us that the GOT was working on 
remedies for these problems, but concrete results may be 
months away.  He also informed us that a GOT delegation 
plans to visit Washington April 20 to discuss a possible 
acquisition of baggage screening equipment with the 
Transportation Security Administration.  End Summary. 
 
 
3. (U) On April 1, Acting DCM, Econoff and Economic 
Specialist called on Acting Transport Ministry 
Undersecretary Mehmet Kutlu to press for GOT action on 
air safety and security deficiencies.  Kutlu, who was 
accompanied by Director General of Civil Aviation Topa 
Toker, and Mustafa Karabay of the DGCA Security 
Division, informed us that a GOT delegation planned to 
visit Washington April 20 on a possible acquisition of 
baggage screening equipment. 
 
 
4. (SBU) A/DCM raised a draft law to improve DGCA air 
safety oversight capacity as well as the GOT's plans to 
remedy border/customs control deficiencies at Turkish 
airports (reftel).  Kutlu told us that the air safety 
amendments had been cleared by GOT ministries and the 
bill is now at the Prime Ministry.  He added that the 
GOT would send a copy of the bill to ICAO for review and 
comment.  The bill will not be submitted to Parliament 
until separate draft legislation on public 
administration reform is passed. 
 
 
5. (SBU) GOT officials reaffirmed plans to require 
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.  This might not 
occur before the end of 2004, though authorities are 
trying to accelerate the process.  Toker noted that, in 
the interim, other measures, such as checking boarding 
passes and taking headcounts after passengers deplane 
are meant to ensure that no one is allowed to avoid 
immigration checks.  A/DCM thanked Toker and his 
colleagues for their work on this issue, but urged them 
to close this loophole in entry procedures as quickly as 
possible. 
 
 
6. (U) Kutlu and Toker told us they planned to travel to 
Washington for meetings on April 20 to consult with the 
U.S. Transportation Security Administration on a 
possible purchase of explosive detection equipment.  The 
delegation, which will include officials from the state 
airport authority (Turkish acronym DHMI), would be 
interested in meeting with counterparts at the FAA and 
the Federal Air Marshall Service on air safety and air 
marshal issues as well.  The delegation will consist of: 
 
 
--   Mehmet   KUTLU,  Undersecretary  of   Ministry   of 
Transportation 
--  Topa  Bilgetin  TOKER, Director General  of  Turkish 
Civil Aviation Authority 
-- Mahmut TEKIN, Director General of DHMI (Turkish Civil 
Airport Authority) 
-- Ahmet ERGIN, Electronic Department Manager of DHMI 
--  Turgay SAHAN. Chair of EADUK (Comittee for  Training 
Research and Inspection of Turkish Civil Aviation) 
--  Oguz URKER, Electronic Department Deputy Manager  of 
DHMI 
-- Hakan Fehmi GORK, Mechanical Engineer from DHMY 
 
 
Recommendation/Action Request 
----------------------------- 
 
 
7. (SBU) Embassy continues to be concerned about the gap 
in Turkey's border control system and urges Washington 
agencies to raise this issue in writing (reftel) as well 
as during Transport/DGCA/DHMI's visit to Washington.  In 
addition, we see this visit as an excellent opportunity 
to: 
--raise concerns about air safety in relation to the FAA 
IASA program; 
--respond to the GOT's request for information on our 
air marshal program; 
--and promote U.S. exports. 
 
 
We strongly recommend that TSA, FAA, FAMS and perhaps 
Commerce or EB officials meet with Kutlu and Toker later 
this month. 
Edelman