US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2008

UNCLAS ANKARA 002008 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
USDOE FOR CHUCK WASHINGTON 
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/OEURA/CPD/DDEFALCO 
NSC FOR BRYZA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EPET, MARR, MASS, TU, GG, AZ, BTC 
SUBJECT: TURKEY PURSUES BTC SECURITY WITH NEIGHBORS 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 1306 
 
     B. BAKU APRIL 4 E-MAIL 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: Turkey is interested in moving forward on 
inter-governmental security arrangements in anticipation of 
the BTC pipeline going into operation later this year.  It 
has been responsive to requests from BTC.  Georgia remains 
the weak link in assuring timely and adequate preparations. 
End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) On April 5, GOT MFA Officer Basak Tug briefed 
Energy Officer on status of BTC intergovernmental security 
arrangements.  1) In response to a formal request from BTC 
Corp, the three countries will meet for a security 
implementation committee meeting in Baku April 26.  Tug said 
Turkey would send Energy and MFA Undersecretaries.  2) At the 
end of this week, MFA will receive a delegation from BTC and 
BP to advance preparations for an Inter-Governmental 
Committee on BTC security ahead of starting to fill the 
pipeline.  According to Tug, MFA would convene a domestic 
meeting of security representatives in advance of receiving 
the delegation.  She said that Turkey and Azerbaijan had 
appointed its representatives to the IG Committee, but 
Georgia had not yet done so.  The GOT urged Georgia to move 
forward on this at recent meetings in Ankara. Tug said upon 
convocation of the IG Committee, the three governments would 
need to approve the BTC security protocol.  3) Tug said the 
other aspect of security would be assuring attention to human 
rights; she said that GOT was not sure how or whether the 
three countries would coordinate this aspect. 
 
3.  (SBU) Comment: Despite construction delays, BTC line fill 
will start soon in Baku, so the countries need to hustle in 
putting in place adequate security coordination.  Turkey 
appears willing to play a key role in assisting its two 
country partners in implementing security coordination. 
There may be a role for the USG in offering training or 
facilitating assurance of appropriate security.   GOT 
officials were receptive to going over security planning with 
a visiting DOD consultant last January. 
EDELMAN