US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6764

UNCLAS ANKARA 006764 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL/C/CP-MCAWTHORNE, EB/TRA/OTP-DHAYWOOD, 
EUR/SE 
DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT 
ROME FOR ICE 
ROTTERDAM FOR LCDR MBEE 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT, CVIS, ETRD, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT:  KAPTANOGLU SHIPPING COMPANY 
 
Ref:  Haywood/Sirotic 12/2/04 Email 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please Handle Accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Per ref email, Embassy understands that the 
Coast Guard is calling an inter-agency meeting for 
Monday, December 8 to consider imposing a moratorium 
preventing Kaptanoglu Shipping Group (KSG) vessels from 
entering U.S. waters/ports, as well as other measures, 
due to the company's record of absconders/deserters and 
its failure to respond to a September 30 Coast Guard 
instruction to implement added security measures on its 
ships.  Embassy supports the measures proposed in ref 
email. 
 
2. (U)  So as to avoid any surprises, we have kept the 
Turkish MFA informed about KSG's problems since July. 
Most recently, we reiterated to the MFA December 3 that 
the company continued to be unresponsive to U.S. 
concerns and that concrete measures could be implemented 
in the near future.  Basat Ozturk, head of the MFA 
Maritime Department, promised to contact both KSG as 
well as relevant Turkish agencies to urge the company to 
comply with U.S. requirements immediately. 
 
3. (U) In response to information about KSG absconders 
and deserters, Embassy and Consulate Istanbul reviewed 
crew visa issuance to persons affiliated with KSG.  The 
company has not participated in special crew visa 
issuance programs for a long time.  However, our 
consular sections found that absconding/desertion has 
been a problem with a number of other companies, and has 
decided to require certain shipping companies to provide 
a plan of remedial action prior to issuing any further 
visas to their crews. 
 
4. (U) Kaptanoglu Shipping Group is a family business 
established in 1904 that currently operates seven motor 
vessels of various sizes and capacities.  The company is 
primarily a ship operator, meaning that six of the seven 
vessels currently operating in the Kaptanoglu fleet are 
owned by other companies.  KSG is responsible for 
operating and managing the crews of the vessels it 
sails.  See www.kaptanoglu.com for further background on 
KSG. 
 
5. (SBU) Cengiz Kaptanoglu, a member of the Managing 
Board of the H. Ismail Kaptanoglu Companies Group, is an 
influential figure.  A Member of Parliament from the 
ruling AK party, Kaptanoglu chairs the Defense 
Committee.  He is also the President of the Managing 
Board of the Maritime Trade Chamber.  In discussing the 
KSG case with Econoff, Ozturk alluded to Kaptanoglu's 
influence by saying that, if a moratorium were imposed, 
there could be media attention in the case. 
 
6. (SBU)  Embassy recommendation:  In the absence of KSG 
remedial measures, Embassy fully supports the Coast 
Guard's proposed moratorium and other measures to 
maintain homeland security.  Noting that MP Kaptanoglu 
is in a position of influence on defense-related policy 
matters in Turkey, we suggest giving the Turkish MFA an 
additional week to address the issue directly with the 
company. 
Edelman