US embassy cable - 05ANKARA993

UNCLAS ANKARA 000993 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ROME FOR CBP ROBERT STIRITI 
PARIS FOR TSA 
DHS FOR CSI, COAST GUARD 
DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT 
BRUSSELS FOR FAA AND TSA 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT, EAIR, IZ, TU 
SUBJECT:  TURKEY MFA UPDATE ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES 
 
Ref: State 22032 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  In February 11 and 15 meetings with 
Econ Counselor and Econoff, MFA transport officials: 
indicated that the GOT would respond favorably to the 
Container Security Initiative (CSI); raised problems in 
managing Turkish-Iraqi airspace; warned that Bosphorus 
tunnel construction could impact shipping; and provided 
updates on ratification of the Montreal and Capetown 
Conventions.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) CSI and Port Security:  Basat Ozturk, Head of 
the MFA Maritime Department, told Econ Couns and Econoff 
February 15 that GOT agencies had decided to respond 
positively to the U.S. proposal to include Turkey in the 
Container Security Initiative, and that MFA would 
transmit a formal answer soon.  However, he said a 
bilateral agreement, possibly subject to ratification by 
Parliament, would have to be negotiated on CSI.  Ozturk 
said that Turkish authorities were working diligently to 
implement International Maritime Organization port and 
ship security standards, with only a few ports 
outstanding, and that the "detention" rate for Turkish 
ships was down by more than half.  He confirmed that the 
program for the U.S. Coast Guard port security team, 
which is visiting Turkey during the week of February 21, 
had been finalized. 
 
3. (SBU) Straits/Marmaray Construction:  Ozturk noted 
that construction of the Bosphorus Marmaray tunnel, 
slated to begin in mid-March, would continue into 2007. 
He asserted that construction would rule out any 
relaxation of straits navigation procedures for this 
period.  Moreover, he noted that new regulations for 
straits navigation had been posted to the internet, and 
would be publicized shortly. 
 
4. (SBU) Turkish-Iraqi Air Links:  MFA Deputy Director 
General Vakur Gozdenizler said Turkish aviation 
authorities were having difficulty communicating with 
Iraqi civair counterparts.  Gokdenizler stated that 
Turkey Airlines (THY) remains interested in flying to 
Baghdad once the security situation permits.  Other 
private Turkish airlines are interested in flying to 
Erbil, which was viewed as a potentially safer way to 
travel to northern Iraq than by road.  He asked us for 
assistance in identifying an Iraqi point of contact with 
whom the Turks could discuss technical aviation issues 
(such as airspace management).  The Turkish embassy in 
Baghdad is also interested in discussing these issues 
with the U.S. Embassy. 
 
5. (SBU) Montreal/Capetown Conventions:  In a meeting on 
February 11, Econoff delivered reftel demarche urging 
GOT ratification of the Montreal Convention to MFA 
Aviation Department Head Ahmet Bigali.  Bigali responded 
that the GOT planned to send the Convention to 
Parliament for ratification very soon, but with a 
reservation under article 57 (concerning flights for 
government/military purposes).  Bigali was unable to 
provide details on the reservation.  He also told us 
(somewhat more vaguely) that the GOT would seek 
Parliamentary ratification for the Capetown Convention 
soon. 
 
6. (U) ICAO Survey of Istanbul Airport:  Bigali said 
that he had received a report from ICAO on a recent 
review of security arrangements at Istanbul Ataturk 
Airport, which he characterized as a positive 
assessment. 
 
7. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Edelman