US embassy cable - 05ANKARA147

UNCLAS ANKARA 000147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, KOMC, TU 
SUBJECT: POST-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON LICENSES 73-101830 
AND 73-101832 
 
REF: STATE 263858 
 
Per reftel request, on December 28, 2004 Embassy Blue Lantern 
officer conducted a site visit of TEK-GER company at the 
address provided in reftel.  The company appeared to be very 
small, consisting of a handful of employees, who occupied a 
converted apartment office space in a run down district of 
Ankara.  According to TEK-GER's owner, Murat Odoglu, TEK-GER 
has been in business since 1948, but working in the defense 
industry since 1974.  Its customers are exclusively Turkish 
law enforcement institutions and intelligence gathering 
organizations.  They supply specialist equipment in the areas 
of surveillance, forensics, and evidence gathering.  TEK-GER 
officials claimed to represent foreign suppliers from France, 
UK, and other countries.  Odoglu noted TEK-GER possessed 
appropriate Turkish licenses relevant to their business but 
was unable to substantiate this by providing examples of 
licenses or other official documentation. 
 
Odoglu claims no knowledge of the transactions listed in 
licenses 73-101830 and 73-101832, and said the company had 
never dealt with the named U.S. supplier of either night 
vision equipment or laser equipment.  Despite several 
approaches in person and by phone, TEK-GER officials provided 
little insight.  TEK-GER officials pointed out that Turkey 
has an indigenous ability to produce night vision equipment, 
which according to government contracting rules, would compel 
them to supply their customers with locally made equipment. 
 
It is Blue Lantern officer's assessment that TEK-GER 
officials were reluctant to provide background info about 
their company, and answered questions about their general 
activities, customers, etc. inadequately.  TEK-GER officials 
were especially evasive regarding their possible involvement 
in specific reftel transactions and made little effort to 
investigate the issue.  Embassy requests this be considered 
in this and future PM/DTCC cases involving TEK-GER. 
EDELMAN