US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2345

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002345 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KNNP, PARM, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: EXBS: DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TRAINING AND 
CONSULTATIONS IN TURKEY, MARCH 2004 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  EXPERTS FROM DOE/NNSA AND DOE LABS 
HELD NUCLEAR EXPORT-RELATED CONSULTATIONS AND TRAINING 
IN TURKEY THE WEEK OF MARCH 15, 2004.  THE USG TEAM 
PRESENTED A 2-DAY NUCLEAR-RELATED COMMODITY 
IDENTIFICATION TRAINING (CIT) SEMINAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 
24 REPRESENTATIVES OF TURKISH GOVERNMENT EXPORT CONTROL 
ENFORCEMENT AND LICENSING AGENCIES INCLUDING CUSTOMS, 
JANDARMA, MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (MND), TURKISH 
GENERAL STAFF (TGS), UNDERSECRETARIAT OF FOREIGN TRADE 
(UFT), MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA), ISTANBUL 
MINERAL AND METAL EXPORTER'S UNION (IMMIB), AND THE 
TURKISH ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY (TAEK). THE TRAINING 
WAS WELL RECEIVED, WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL OF STUDENT 
PARTICIPATION AND INTEREST.  THE USG TEAM ALSO 
DISCUSSED WITH GOT REPRESENTATIVES POTENTIAL FUTURE 
EXPORT CONTROL COOPERATION, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF A 
"CORE GROUP" OF U.S. AND TURKISH EXPORT CONTROL 
ENFORCEMENT AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL TO PURSUE 
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INDIGENOUS COMMODITY 
IDENTIFICATION TRAINING.  THIS GROUP, FOR PURPOSES OF 
NUCLEAR-RELATED LICENSING AND ENFORCEMENT, WILL ALSO 
PARTICIPATE IN FOLLOW-ON (IN-DEPTH) TECHNICAL TRAINING. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
 
2. (SBU) DOE/NNSA TEAM PRESENTED A TWO-DAY SEMINAR ON 
NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION AWARENESS AND COMMODITY 
IDENTIFICATION TRAINING (CIT) ON MARCH 16 AND 17, 2004, 
AIMED AT TRAINING ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL HOW TO VISUALLY 
IDENTIFY NUCLEAR-RELATED COMMODITIES AND AT 
STRENGTHENING TURKEY'S EXPORT CONTROL ENFORCEMENT BY 
DEVELOPING MORE EFFECTIVE COOPERATION BETWEEN 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND TECHNICAL EXPERTS. THE 
DOE/NNSA TEAM INCLUDED TODD PERRY (DOE/HQ), LORETTA 
WEISS (LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY), SCOTT JONES 
(UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA), KIRSTEN LAURIN-KOVITZ (ARGONNE 
NATIONAL LABORATORY), STEVE VASEL (GREGG PROTECTION 
SERVICES), AND WILLIAM HELM (KANSAS CITY PLANT). 
TURKISH PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM 
CUSTOMS, TGS, MND, TAEK, IMMIB, MFA, UFT, JANDARMA, AND 
COAST GUARD.   THE DOE TEAM WORKED WITH TURKISH 
PARTICIPANTS TO UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS 
DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE, LONGER-TERM EXPORT CONTROL 
TRAINING. 
 
 
3. (SBU) IN A MARCH 15 MEETING IN ANKARA, THE DOE TEAM 
AND EMBASSY STAFF PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THEIR 
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK.  A BRIEF 
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMODITY IDENTIFICATION TRAINING 
(CIT) COURSE AND SAMPLE COURSE MATERIALS WERE PROVIDED. 
 
 
4. (SBU) AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF POST, THE DOE TEAM 
MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF TURKISH EXPORT/BORDER 
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO 1) PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE 
DOE/NNSA TRAINING AND PARTNERSHIP OBJECTIVES (INCLUDING 
TURKISH PEER-REVIEW OF THE TRAINING COURSE) AND 2) TO 
REQUEST INFORMATION ON THE RELATIVE ROLES, 
RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TRAINING APPROACHES OF TURKISH 
ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED EXPORT CONTROL ENFORCEMENT. 
TURKISH PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED COL SALIH ASLAN (COAST 
GUARD), COL FERHAT KONYA (JANDARMA), LTC SALIH ZEKI 
AYDIN (TGS), LTC CENGIZ UYGUR (TGS), MAJ HAKAN ARISUT 
(TGS) LTC AYHANKIRILMAZKOL (MND). THE DOE TEAM FOCUSED 
ON THE EXPORT AND TRANSHIPMENT OF NUCLEAR-RELATED DUAL- 
USE EQUIPMENT AND PROVIDED EXAMPLES OF DOE/NNSA 
PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES (E.G., 
UKRAINE).  THE JANDARMA SHARED INFORMATION ON 1) THE 
AREA OF BORDER CONTROL RESPONSIBILITY, 2) DRUG 
SMUGGLING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING ROUTES, ACKNOWLEDGING 
THAT THESE ROUTES COULD ALSO BE USED FOR ILLEGAL DUAL- 
USE TRANSIT, 3) PROCEDURES FOR INTERAGENCY 
CONSULTATIONS WHEN ILLEGAL MATERIAL IS APPREHENDED, AND 
4) BENEFITS TO JANDARMA OF U.S. COMMODITY 
IDENTIFICATION TRAINING AND THE POSSIBILITY OF 
INCORPORATING SUCH TRAINING INTO JANDARMA'S TRAINING 
SCHOOL AND BORDER TRAINING UNITS. THE MND REP DESCRIBED 
TURKEY'S INTERNATIONAL EXPORT CONTROL OBLIGATIONS UNDER 
VARIOUS REGIMES, CONCENTRATING ON THE ESTABLISHED 
EXPORT LICENSING PROCEDURE FOR MILITARY ITEMS AND 
GOODS. LICENSING OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS AND NUCLEAR- 
RELATED DUAL USE ITEMS IS HANDLED THROUGH TAEK, WHILE 
THE UFT (THROUGH THE IMMIB) MAINTAINS THE DUAL-USE 
LIST. 
 
 
5.  (SBU) TWO BRIEF MEETINGS WERE HELD AT GOT CUSTOMS 
ON MARCH 15, THE FIRST WITH THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF 
CUSTOMS (INCLUDING RAMAZAN ULUS AND ARIF KUMBUL) AND 
THE SECOND WITH DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CUSTOMS 
ENFORCEMENT CIHAT ANCIN.  TURKISH INTERLOCUTORS BRIEFED 
ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF CUSTOMS, WHILE THE 
DOE TEAM PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE DOE/NNSA TRAINING 
AND PARTNERSHIP OBJECTIVES IN TURKEY. IN A FOLLOW-UP 
MEETING, ANCIN DESCRIBED THE CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT 
DIVISION AND STATED THAT TRAINING FOR CUSTOMS 
ENFORCEMENT ON IDENTIFICATION OF DUAL USE COMMODITIES 
WOULD BE USEFUL TO THE GOT IN COMBATING PROLIFERATION 
WITHOUT NEGATIVELY AFFECTING TRADE.  ANCIN ALSO RAISED 
THE IMPORTANCE OF INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION IN TARGETING 
SHIPMENTS FOR INSPECTION, AND POINTED OUT THAT WHILE 
CUSTOMS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SEIZE AND HOLD A SUSPECT 
SHIPMENT INDEFINITELY, TRANSIT SHIPMENTS ARE GENERALLY 
NOT INSPECTED. 
 
 
6. (SBU) ON MARCH 17, PERRY AND JONES MET WITH ARSLAN 
ERGEZER OF THE EU MISSION TO DISCUSS EU EXPORT CONTROL 
ASSISTANCE TO TURKEY, AS EXPORT CONTROL ISSUES ARE 
MANAGED UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF THE EUROPEAN CUSTOMS 
UNION.  THE EU IS ASSISTING TURKEY IN MODERNIZING ITS 
CUSTOMS SERVICE AND INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT CONSIDERS 
NONPROLIFERATION EXPORT CONTROL SUPPORT INCIDENTAL TO 
TURKEY'S COMPLIANCE TO THE ACQUIS COMMUNITAIRE. 
FURTHERMORE, COMPLIANCE WITH THE EU'S DUAL-USE EXPORT 
CONTROL REGIME REQUIRES ONLY THAT TURKISH REGULATIONS 
BE IN FULL PARITY WITH THE ACQUIS. 
 
 
7. (SBU) ON MARCH 18, THE DOE TEAM RECEIVED A BRIEFING 
ON TURKISH ANTI-DRUG AND ORGANIZED CRIME TRAINING 
CENTER (TADOC) (HISTORY, FUNDING, TRAINING STATISTICS) 
AND A TOUR OF ITS STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINING FACILITY 
FROM TADOC DIRECTOR CELAL BODUR.  TADOC CONDUCTS A 
VARIETY OF ANTI-CRIME-RELATED TRAINING COURSES FOR 
TURKISH NATIONAL POLICE (TNP), JANDARMA, CUSTOMS, AND 
COAST GUARD.  TADOC ALSO SERVES AS AN INTERNATIONAL 
ANTI-CRIME TRAINING CENTER, CONDUCTING SOME 6 REGIONAL 
AND 20 BILATERAL TRAINING PROGRAMS PER YEAR.  THE DOE 
TEAM ASSESSED TADOC'S FACILITY AS AN EXCELLENT VENUE 
FOR INECP NONPROLIFERATION AND COMMODITY IDENTIFICATION 
TRAINING BUT FURTHER DISCUSSION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE 
THE MOST APPROPRIATE INDIGENOUS TRAINING STRATEGY 
(I.E., A CENTRALIZED APPROACH VS. A REGIONAL/MOBILE 
APPROACH) FOR EACH ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. 
 
 
8. (SBU) THE TEAM ALSO MET MARCH 18 WITH THE 
UNDERSECRETARIAT OF CUSTOMS TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE 
CIT SEMINAR AND TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR INCORPORATING 
SIMILAR TRAINING INTO CUSTOMS TRAINING AGENDAS.  DEPUTY 
DIRECTOR FOR ENFORCEMENT ANCIN SAID HIS STAFF FOUND THE 
TRAINING TO BE VERY VALUABLE AND AGREED TO PURSUE THIS 
TYPE OF TRAINING WITHIN CUSTOMS, INCLUDING FOR 
REGIONAL/BORDER INSPECTORS.  ENSUING DISCUSSION 
CENTERED ON UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMS TRAINING 
STRUCTURE (INCLUDING THE CUSTOMS TRAINING DEPARTMENT) 
AND HOW TO PARTNER WITH THE TURKISH ATOMIC ENERGY 
AUTHORITY (TAEK) TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE COMMODITY 
IDENTIFICATION TRAINING WITHIN THIS STRUCTURE.  THE DOE 
TEAM AND TURKISH INTERLOCUTORS AGREED TO CREATE A "CORE 
GROUP" OF CIT DEVELOPERS/TRAINERS CONSISTING OF U.S. 
TECHNICAL EXPERTS AND DESIGNATED CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT 
AND TAEK PERSONNEL.  CENTRALIZED (ANKARA), REGIONAL, 
AND NEW-RECRUIT TRAINING APPROACHES WERE DISCUSSED, 
INCLUDING THE NEED FOR FOLDING IN REGIONAL- AND BORDER- 
SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE TRANSIT PROBLEM.  BARIS DEMIREL 
AND GURKAN OZTURK WERE DESIGNATED AS THE CUSTOMS POCS 
FOR FIRST MEETING OF THE CORE GROUP, PROPOSED FOR THE 
END OF JULY 2004. 
 
 
9.  (SBU) POST ARRANGED A BRIEF MEETING FOR THE U.S. 
TEAM ON MARCH 18 WITH THE REGIONAL OFFICE OF THE DEA 
(BRIAN SHANAHAN).   DISCUSSIONS CENTERED ON DEA'S VIEW 
OF TURKISH INTERAGENCY COORDINATION (INVOLVING TURKISH 
CUSTOMS, JANDARMA, AND TNP), DEA TRAINING FOR 
INTEGRATED GROUPS OF TNP, CUSTOMS, AND JANDARMA, AND 
GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS OF THE SMUGGLING THREAT. 
ACCORDING TO SHANAHAN, THE JANDARMA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 
APPROXIMATELY 80% OF TURKISH LAND TERRITORY, WITH 
CUSTOMS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENTRY POINTS, PORTS, AND 
AIRPORTS, AND THE COAST GUARD MAINTAINS LITTORAL 
OPERATIONAL CONTROL.  TIR TRANSIT TRAFFIC WAS THE 
PRIMARY MEANS OF NARCOTICS SMUGGLING.  DEA ENDORSED 
TADOC AS A POSSIBLE TRAINING SITE, AS DEA USES TADOC 
FOR MANY OF ITS TRAINING ACTIVITIES. 
 
 
10. (SBU) THE FINAL MEETING ON MARCH 18 WAS WITH THE 
TURKISH ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY (TAEK).  THE U.S. TEAM 
HELD TWO MEETINGS AT TAEK, THE FIRST WITH MEMBERS OF 
THE TAEK STAFF (HAYRI AKBIYIK AND ZAFER ALPER) TO 
RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE CIT TRAINING AND TO DISCUSS 
PLANS FOR ENHANCING TAEK EXPERTISE ON NUCLEAR DUAL-USE 
TECHNOLOGY; AND THE SECOND WITH DR. MEHMET TOMAK, 
PRESIDENT OF TAEK, TO ESTABLISH AN AGREEMENT AND 
FRAMEWORK FOR UPCOMING JOINT ACTIVITIES.  TAEK 
REPRESENTATIVES EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO RECEIVE FURTHER 
IN-DEPTH TRAINING ON NUCLEAR DUAL-USE TECHNOLOGY AND 
COMMODITY IDENTIFICATION, TO ENHANCE TAEK'S ABILITY TO 
1) MORE EFFECTIVELY MEET ITS DUAL-USE LICENSING 
MANDATE, 2) SERVE AS A RESOURCE FOR EXPORT CONTROL 
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND 3) BECOME DEVELOPERS AND 
TRAINERS OF INDIGENOUS CIT.  EVENTUAL EXTENSION OF 
NUCLEAR DUAL-USE TRAINING TO FULL WMD DUAL-USE TRAINING 
WAS ALSO DISCUSSED.  AS WITH CUSTOMS, A DECISION WAS 
MADE TO CREATE A "CORE GROUP" OF U.S., CUSTOMS, AND 
TAEK CIT DEVELOPERS/TRAINERS.  HAYRI AKBIYIK WILL BE 
THE TAEK POC FOR THE FIRST MEETING OF THE CORE GROUP. 
IN THE SECOND MEETING PRESIDENT TOMAK EXPRESSED HIS 
SATISFACTION WITH THE CIT COURSE AND HIS ENDORSEMENT OF 
FUTURE WORK TOGETHER.  HE REQUESTED THAT A LETTER BE 
SENT OUTLINING DOE/NNSA/INECP OBJECTIVES AND NEAR-TERM 
PLANS WITH TAEK - IN HIS WORDS, A "FRAMEWORK FOR 
CONTINUED COOPERATION" - THAT WOULD FACILITATE HIS 
ABILITY TO INCORPORATE JOINT ACTIVITIES INTO HIS WORK 
PLAN.  DR. TOMAK ALSO NOTED TWO AREAS OF PARTICULAR 
INTEREST:  INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND 
EDUCATION.  PERRY AGREED TO PROVIDE DR. TOMAK WITH AN 
OUTLINE FOR UPCOMING INECP ACTIVITIES AND COOPERATION, 
INFORMATION ON COMPUTERIZED LICENSING SYSTEMS, AND 
RECOMMENDED THAT TAEK TECHNICAL EXPERTS CONSIDER 
PARTICIPATION IN THE JUNE MALTA TRANSSHIPMENT 
CONFERENCE. DR. TOMAK ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE 
NSG INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM (NISS), AND PERRY SAID 
HE WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE APPROPRIATE METHOD 
OF GAINING ACCESS. 
 
 
11. (SBU) ON MARCH 19, THE DOE TEAM TRAVELED TO 
ISTANBUL TO MEET WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE IMMIB 
(INCLUDING MEHMET ZEREN, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL, AND 
COSKUN KIRLIOGLU, HEAD OF IMMIB R&D).  ALSO PRESENT 
WERE DENIZ ERDOGAN, MFA, AND GULAY TANRIYAPISI, 
UNDERSECRETARIAT FOR FOREIGN TRADE.  THE MEETING, 
LARGELY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, TOUCHED ON MANY ASPECTS 
OF EXPORT CONTROL LICENSING PROCEDURE IN TURKEY. MOST 
OF THE ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES REFER TO MILITARY ITEMS; 
LICENSING OF NUCLEAR-RELATED DUAL USE ITEMS UNDER 
TURKEY'S NSG COMMITMENT IS NOT AS WELL ESTABLISHED, AND 
THE PROCEDURES DO NOT APPEAR TO BE AS WELL UNDERSTOOD. 
TAEK, NOT IMMIB, IS THE REFERRAL AGENCY FOR NUCLEAR 
DUAL-USE EXPORT LICENSES.  THE U.S. TEAM INQUIRED ABOUT 
END-USE/END-USER ANALYSIS, CONDUCTED UNDER THE PURVIEW 
OF THE MFA, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RELEVANT AGENCIES, 
AS PART OF IMMIB'S LICENSING PROCESS; THE STATUS OF 
INDUSTRY OUTREACH TO NUCLEAR AND WMD-RELATED EXPORTERS; 
AND HOW TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ON TARGETED/SEIZED 
SHIPMENTS ARE HANDLED. ATTENDEES SUGGESTED CONTINUING 
INTERACTION ON THESE TOPICS WITH IMMIB AND UFT 
REPRESENTATIVES AT THE UPCOMING U.S.-TURKISH INDUSTRY- 
GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE FORUM ON MAY 17-20.  IMMIB 
REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE KEPT AWARE OF DEVELOPMENTS 
INVOLVING THE "CORE GROUP" BUT WILL INITIALLY NOT TO BE 
MEMBERS OF THIS INDIGENOUS CIT DEVELOPMENT/TRAINING 
GROUP.  IMMIB OFFERED USE OF ITS TRAINING FACILITIES IN 
ISTANBUL HOWEVER. IMMIB POCS FOR FUTURE INTERACTIONS 
ARE MEHMET ZEREN AND COSKUN KIRLIOGLU. 
 
 
12. (SBU) COMMENT: THE DOE/NNSA TRAINING WAS WELL 
RECEIVED AND TURKISH INTERLOCUTORS WERE ENTHUSIASTIC 
ABOUT FUTURE EXBS COOPERATION.  THE TRAINING TEAM AND 
THE EMBASSY AGREE THAT FUTURE TRAINING SESSIONS COULD 
BE CONDUCTED MORE COST EFFECTIVELY IF HOSTED AT AN 
EXISTING TURKISH TRAINING CENTER SUCH AS TADOC, IMMIB, 
OR THE JANDARMA TRAINING CENTER (VICE AT A HOTEL). 
SUCH A SITUATION WOULD ALSO ALLOW THE GOT TO TAKE MORE 
OWNERSHIP OF THE TRAINING AND FACILITATE THE 
INCORPORATION OF IT INTO THEIR OWN CURRICULA. 
 
 
EDELMAN