US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5558

UNCLAS ANKARA 005558 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TRA/OTP AND EUR/SE 
PARIS FOR TSA AND ECON 
COAST GUARD FOR G-MPP - CRD LOSCIUTO 
DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT 
ROME FOR ICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT, PTER, ETRD, TU 
SUBJECT:  Turkish Maritime Security:  Visit of Coast 
Guard Liaison 
 
Ref:  Ankara 5144 and previous 
 
Not for Internet Distribution. 
 
1.  In introductory calls on September 16, LCDR Michael 
Bee, DHS/Coast Guard's International Port Security 
Liaison, described the U.S. International Port Security 
Program to Gurcan Balik, of the MFA Maritime Department, 
Okay Kilic, Head of the Maritime Security Department of 
the Turkish Maritime Administration (MA) and Nihat Asan, 
Head of Department for Ports and Coastal Facilities at 
the MA.  Balik, Kilic and Asan were receptive to the 
concept of bilateral cooperation and reciprocal 
exchanges, including a possible return visit and port 
tour for LCDR Bee later this year. 
 
2.  Both MFA and MA told Bee that the GOT is serious 
about full compliance with the International Ship and 
Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, and thanked the 
Coast Guard for recognizing this by excluding Turkey 
from its recent Port Security Advisory.  Kilic told us 
that Turkey is implementing both mandatory (Part A) and 
recommended (Part B) ISPS standards, and that all 
facilities which do not comply with the requirement to 
implement the code have been closed down.  He noted that 
six port facilities which do not carry on any 
international trade are voluntarily complying with the 
Code in order to preserve their eligibility for trade in 
the future.  In Turkey, recognized security 
organizations may complete port security assessments, 
but only MA may approve port security plans. 
 
3.  Kilic stated that the Transport Ministry imposed 
ISPS requirements in Turkey through a regulation, but 
that the GOT plans to propose legislation modeled in 
part on the U.S. Maritime Transportation Security Act. 
Kilic told us that the amendments, to be submitted to 
Parliament in 2004 or 2005, will contain stricter ship 
and port security requirements than those in the ISPS 
Code.  The new legislation would also enable the GOT to 
require port owners to install vessel tracking systems. 
 
4. Comment:  Embassy believes that LCDR Bee's visit laid 
the groundwork for mutually-beneficial collaboration on 
port security.  Post encourages Coast Guard to continue 
to coordinate its work and visits with those of DHS' 
Customs and Border Protection (proposed Container 
Security Initiative) and with DHS' Transportation 
Security Administration so that we can maintain 
cooperation from the various Turkish agencies working in 
this area without unnecessary burden to them or the USG. 
Edelman