US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1085

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Special 301: Comment on IACC Submission

Identifier: 05ANKARA1085
Wikileaks: View 05ANKARA1085 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Ankara
Created: 2005-03-01 09:29:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: ETRD KIPR TU
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ANKARA 001085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TPP/MTA/IPE - SWILSON/JURBAN AND EUR/SE DEPT 
PASS USTR FOR JCHOE-GROVES 
DEPT PASS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS FOR STEPP 
DEPT PASS USPTO FOR JURBAN AND EWU 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/DDEFALCO AND JBOGER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, KIPR, TU 
SUBJECT: Special 301:  Comment on IACC Submission 
 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
REF:  3/1/05 Sirotic/Urban Email 
 
1. Based on input from the automotive industry, the 
International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition's (IACC) 
Special 301 Recommendation on Turkey alleges that the 
Turkish Customs Undersecretariat requires industry to 
pay USD 20,000 to provide anti-counterfeit training. 
Moreover, the IACC requests that the USG engage the GOT 
to eliminate this payment and investigate alleged 
corrupt practices.  However, it appears that the 
allegation is incorrect. 
 
2. After the recommendation had been posted to the IACC 
website, Pfizer contacted Embassy FCS and Econ sections 
to dispute the allegation, and put us in touch with 
Garlin International, a private company.  Garlin, with 
the help of the Foreign Investors Association (Turkish 
acronym YASED), had organized a seminar for customs 
officials on anti-counterfeiting issues in September 
2004.  Pfizer participated in that seminar, and reports 
that it is satisfied with Customs anti-counterfeiting 
efforts.  Garlin told Econoff that it is organizing 
additional seminars for trademark owners in Turkey at a 
projected cost of USD 20,000.  The entire fee is 
dedicated to accommodation, conference hall rental, and 
other administrative costs.  None of this fee is 
provided to Turkish Customs.  Garlin stated that General 
Motors Europe had balked at the cost of participating in 
the seminar and that this was likely the source of the 
misinformation.  Garlin has communicated this to GM as 
well as IACC in a February 17 letter (ref email). 
 
3. Embassy also plans to discuss the IACC recommendation 
with Turkish Customs in the near future.  We request 
that Washington agencies take Garlin International's 
information into account in considering Turkey's Special 
301 status for 2005. 
Edelman 

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