US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2095

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002095 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2015 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, PHUM, PINS, PINR, SNAR 
SUBJECT: RE-EVALUATING THE LEAHY AMENDMENT: IMPORTANT STEP 
IN BOLSTERING TURKEY'S COUNTER-NARCOTICS EFFORTS 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR ERIC S. EDELMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C)  Summary.  Turkey's increasingly critical 
contribution to stemming the flow of narcotics into the 
global supply chain can be strengthened by more U.S. 
assistance.  Up until 1999, we were able to provide this 
assistance in the form of training, equipment, and demand 
reduction through the International Narcotics Crime Control 
(INCC) program.  However, this program was suspended because 
of the GOT's refusal to accept "Leahy Amendment" language 
which requires Turkey to ensure that the assistance is not 
being provided to human rights abusers.  Post encourages 
Washington to re-evaluate this problem and find a creative 
solution that would allow for renewed assistance to Turkish 
law enforcement agencies consistent with our human rights 
concerns.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  As the 2005 International Narcotics Control Strategy 
Report describes, the large increase in opiate production in 
Afghanistan has been mirrored by an increase in Turkey's role 
as a transit route for opiates and a base for major 
international traffickers.  Heroin seizures by Turkish law 
enforcement agencies last year were more than three times 
seizures in 2002.  In 2004 (through December 22) Turkish law 
enforcement agencies seized 8.9 tons of heroin and made a 
total of 14,117 drug related arrests.  This compares to 5.2 
tons of heroin seized and 12,420 arrests in 2003 and 2.75 
tons seized and 9,652 arrested in 2002.  According to the 
Turkish press, Turkey seized more opium and products than any 
other country in Europe in 2004. 
 
3.  (C)  U.S. law enforcement agencies represented at Post 
say that their Turkish counterparts have become more 
efficient in making arrests and seizing contraband.  Yet, we 
do not have a good idea of how much is not being stopped and 
seized.  If the seven-fold increase in Afghanistan's opium 
poppy cultivation between 2002 and 2004 is taken as a rough 
guide, traffic through Turkey during the past two years has 
likely increased by substantially more than the three-fold 
increase in seizures. 
 
4.  (C)  U.S. agencies report excellent operational 
cooperation with Turkish counterparts.  Indeed, much of the 
reported increase in seizures resulted from such cooperation 
with U.S. and European agencies.  At the same time, Turkish 
counter-narcotics agencies virtually plead with us for more 
U.S. assistance.  In Post's judgment, greater 
counter-narcotics cooperation could be very effective and 
efficient in improving the effectiveness of Turkish law 
enforcement and reducing the flow of drugs to world markets. 
Turkish law enforcement agencies would greatly benefit from 
continued training.  As critically, Turkey,s high-quality 
regional training facility*TADOC*could be leveraged to 
provide training to countries in the region. 
 
5.  (C) Between 1986 and 1999, the United States had a major 
anti-narcotics program with Turkey under which approximately 
$500,000 annually was spent on training and equipment and 
supplies as well as on demand reduction.  Under that program 
the Embassy administered programs with TNP, Jandarma, 
Customs, the Turkish Grain Board, and substance abuse 
clinics.  However, since 1999, that program has been 
suspended because of the Turkish government's refusal to 
agree to include a broad certification in individual program 
"letters of agreement" that assistance was not being provided 
to human rights abusers, as the 1997 "Leahy Amendment" is 
understood to require. 
 
6.  (C)  Post has made repeated efforts over the years to 
convince the Turkish government at senior levels to accept 
the broad terms of the so-called "Leahy language."  However, 
for reasons of national pride and a policy against assistance 
carrying &political conditionality8 the Turkish government 
has refused to include the language in program letters of 
agreement.  In Embassy's estimation, Turkey will not agree. 
At the same time, Embassy's human rights reporting attests 
that Turkey's respect for international human rights 
standards has improved significantly in recent years, 
although shortcomings remain.  As the United States continues 
to scrutinize Turkey's human rights record, this trend should 
continue in coming years under continuing pressure from the 
European Union to reform. 
 
7.  (C)  The direct consequence of the stand-off over the 
inclusion of Leahy language in letters of agreement is that 
counter-narcotics assistance that would otherwise be 
effective in stemming the flow of Afghan opiates into the 
global supply chain is not being provided to Turkey by the 
United States.  The result is that more drugs are in the 
global system than would otherwise be and the health and 
well-being of American citizens are at significantly higher 
risk than they would otherwise need to be.  While Turkey 
recently became a &major donor8 country in UNODC, the 
reality is that Turkey is still a financially-strapped middle 
income country that needs counter-narcotics assistance. 
8.  (C)  Post believes that it is a critical U.S. interest 
(and a top MPP objective) to stem the growing flows of 
narcotics through Turkey.  The best way to do this would be 
by providing training and assistance that would help make 
Turkish law enforcement agencies more effective, consistent 
with protection of basic human rights.  We are not in a 
position to interpret the requirements of the Leahy 
Amendment, but we understand that in other programs to which 
the amendment applies, the requirement of a broad 
certification is not required, instead individual 
participants in programs are certified to have not committed 
human rights abuses.  Even if a broad human rights 
certification is required, we cannot believe that it is 
Congress's and the Administration's intent to deny effective, 
human rights-consistent narcotics aid to Turkey.  Post 
encourages the Department to find a creative solution to this 
problem, which could include seeking appropriate waivers, 
taking another look at the standing interpretation of the law 
as it applies to INL programs (perhaps in consultation with 
Congress), or consulting Congress about changing the law. 
EDELMAN