US embassy cable - 05ANKARA3185

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003185 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NP/ECC- PVANSON, ACHURCH, TGROEN 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE- DMARTING, DMCCORMICK 
CBP/INA- PWALKER 
DOC FOR PETERSON-BEARD 
USCG FOR BGOLDEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, KNNP, KSTC, MNUC, PARM, TU 
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT (MAY 2005) 
 
REF: 2004 STATE 146478 
 
  1.      Summary:  EXBS Advisor work this month focused 
mainly on moving the Government of Turkey forward in the 
Internal Control Program (ICP), Product Identification Tool 
(PIT) and Commodity Identification Training (CIT).  EXBS 
Advisor was effective in getting the GOT to approve visits by 
delegations to work directly on the CIT project and the 
Second Line of Defense (SLD) in June.  These visits will 
greatly assist these projects to move forward.  EXBS Advisor 
also reviewed Turkey's participation in PSI activities and 
discussed ways to maintain Turkey's engagement in this 
initiative, and became the point person for discussions on 
the U.S./Turkey Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy Agreement and 
the impact the lack of this Agreement will have on the 
exchange of nuclear fuel held by Turkey.  Finally, EXBS 
Advisor continued negotiations for an appropriate signing 
ceremony for the NP Cooperation Agreement. 
 
2.      Completed Actions for the Reporting Period 
 
A.        Site Assessment and Meetings During Recent 
Reporting Period 
 
1)          May 4- EXBS Advisor met with Department Head for 
Customs Enforcement Mehmet Guzel to review EXBS program work 
with the Turkish Customs, specifically CIT and the Risk 
Management Workshop.  EXBS Advisor reviewed the current 
status of the CIT project from the U.S. prospective and 
reinforced the need for a joint TAEK and Turkish Customs 
meeting to review the project and identify milestones.  He 
also reviewed, in general, a timeline for future activities 
including an overview visit by DOE personnel and the CIT 
Refresher course that was previously rescheduled.  Guzel 
reviewed the status of the Border Crossing modernization 
project at Habur Gate, which is now scheduled to begin in 
June, and the recently announced project for the Cilvegozu 
crossing with Syria, which could begin later this year.  EXBS 
Advisor informed Guzel that it appears that the NP 
Cooperation Agreement could be signed soon, which will allow 
further cooperation including the restart of the SLD project 
and further cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection. Finally, EXBS Advisor reviewed proposed plan to 
visit selected crossing with Syria, and requested assistance 
from Guzel to schedule meetings with appropriate officials in 
these locations. 
 
2)          May 6- EXBS Advisor met with new MFA Arms Control 
and Disarmament Head of Department Osman Yavuzalp to conduct 
monthly update meeting on current projects in progress in 
Turkey, including Internal Control Program (ICP), Commodity 
Identification Training (CIT), Product Identification Tool 
(PIT) and Second Line of Defense (SLD), along with the 
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).  EXBS Advisor 
informed Yavuzalp that the Embassy was awaiting final 
official notification approving the suggested Turkish word 
change and Turkish version of the Agreement.  Once this was 
received, a signing ceremony could be scheduled.  EXBS 
Advisor proposed upcoming visits by members of the Department 
of Energy working on the SLD and CIT projects. Yavuzalp 
agreed, once the NP Agreement was signed, it would be the 
right time to begin more formal planning on these projects. 
On the subject of PSI, Yavuzalp informed EXBS Advisor that 
Turkey has formed an Interministerial Coordination Group 
chaired by MFA and TGS.  The first meeting, on May 5, was 
very successful; there are plans to hold these meetings 
monthly in the future. Finally, EXBS Advisor informed 
Yavuzalp of his discussions with Turkish Customs of visits to 
selected border crossing during the upcoming months.  These 
visits will allow EXBS Advisor to better support areas of 
border cooperation between the United States and Turkey. 
Yavuzalp was in support of this idea, but requested 
notification of the timing and destination of the EXBS 
Advisor proposed travel as a courtesy. 
 
3)          May 27-  EXBS Advisor met with the Head of 
Nuclear Safety Department of the Turkish Atomic Energy 
Authority (TAEK), Aysun Yucel to discuss various issues, 
including the current status of the CIT project and the 
importance of the upcoming DOE CIT team visit in June.  EXBS 
Advisor presented several documents for use by the Core 
Technical Group in preparation for the upcoming meeting. 
Yucel informed EXBS Advisor that she will be meeting with 
customs representatives prior to the meetings to better 
prepared a one voice approach from the GOT on the CIT 
project.  EXBS Advisor also discussed several areas of mutual 
support in the exchange of information concerning seizures 
made by Turkish customs both at the Georgian and Iraq 
borders.  According to Yucel, the U.S. request for additional 
information will be reviewed and supported if possible. 
Finally, EXBS Advisor renewed the offer for a set of meetings 
with members of the US DOE and TAEK to discuss areas of joint 
cooperation for the Reduction of Nuclear Threats in the 
region. 
 
 
B.        Training Conducted During Reporting Period: None 
 
C.        Equipment Delivered During Reporting Period: None 
D.        Imminent Training or Equipment Status Update: None 
 
E.        Significant Developments in Export Controls, 
Nonproliferation, or Related Border Security: 
 
1)         Both the GOT and the U.S. have agreed to the 
wording of the NP Cooperation Agreement with authority being 
delegated to the Ambassador to sign on behalf of the United 
States.  This agreement will open the path for full 
engagement of all aspects of the EXBS program with Turkey.  A 
signing ceremony for the NP Agreement is being proposed for 
June 14th.  The Agreement will require ratification by the 
Turkish Parliament, which is expected by the end of the 
summer. 
 
3.      Future Activities 
 
A.         Jun 1-3- EXBS Advisor to attend EXBS Program 
Washington Manager's Meeting with Program Advisors in Vienna, 
Austria. 
 
B.         Jun 9 - DOE NNSA to participate in CIT Overview 
Meetings with TAEK and Turkish Customs officials 
 
C.         Jun 14- Signing ceremony for the United 
States/Turkey Non-Proliferation Cooperation Agreement 
 
C.         Jun 15-17 - DOE SLD team visit to conduct planning 
meetings and begin coordination of Implementation Agreement 
for the SLD project. 
 
4.      Red Flag Issues: None 
 
5.      Contact Information for EXBS Adviser ) Kevin Lyon, 
phone (90)(312) 455-5555 ext 2525, fax (90)(312) 468-4775, 
email LyonK@state.gov. 
 
 
MOORE