US embassy cable - 05ISTANBUL1289

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 001289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/EUR/IP, DS/DSS/OSAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL - OSAC COUNTRY COUNCIL UPDATE 
 
 
1.  (U) Summary.  The Istanbul Country Council was 
"re-established" on February 26, 2003.  Post philosophy 
for the Istanbul chapter has been to hold three to four 
meetings each year using guest speakers on substantive 
matters.  In April 2004, a new steering committee signed 
the chapter's charter, which was forwarded to DS/OSAC. 
 
While the chapter's steering committee has remained 
largely passive, there is one particular member of 
the OSAC who has been instrumental in maintaining 
communications with the membership.  He is the director 
of a private security firm who helped create an internet 
system that allows the membership to communicate on 
security related matters.  Post uses this as a vehicle 
to send public announcements and warden notices.  Any 
correspondence RSO Istanbul sends is first cleared to 
ensure there is no conflict with the "no double standard 
 policy." 
 
Following the November 2003 bombings, in addition to the 
membership, Post has invited other organizations to attend 
the OSAC presentations.  These organizations include: 
 
 - Select foreign consulates 
 - Non-governmental organizations 
 - Schools participating in the Overseas School Security 
   Program 
 - Management of the residential communities where 
   Consulate personnel reside. 
 - British companies 
 - Other businesses frequented by American citizens 
 
This policy will be reviewed with the new Post management. 
 
2.  (U) Key Events and Significant Activities: 
 
Overview of Events:  Key events since the chapter's 
re-establishment include: 
 
- On February 26, 2003, the OSAC chapter was 
re-established.  Approximately one hundred and ten were in 
attendance.  The Consul General was the keynote speaker. 
 
- On March 30, 2003, Consulate personnel met with the newly 
established OSAC steering committee. 
 
- On September 21, 2003, the OSAC steering committee met 
with two visiting analysts from DS/OSAC and the new 
Istanbul RSO. 
 
- On October 7, 2003, Ambassador Edelman attended a lunch 
with several members of the Country Council and RSO Istanbul. 
 
- On December 8, 2003, the Ritz Carlton Hotel hosted a 
meeting of the Istanbul Country Council.  Assistant 
Secretary of State Frank Taylor was the keynote speaker. 
 
SIPDIS 
This meeting was particularly well attended in light of the 
four truck bombings that had occurred in Istanbul in 
November 2003.  One hundred and seventy-five were in 
attendance. 
 
- On March 11, 2004, Marla Petal was the guest speaker on 
the subject of earthquake preparedness for the business 
community.  This meeting of the Country Council was hosted 
by the Hyatt Regency Hotel and one hundred twenty-five were 
in attendance. 
 
- On April 7, 2004, the new steering committee unanimously 
adopted the Council's charter. 
 
- In May 2004, the RSO hosted a luncheon at the Consulate 
for the newly appointed steering committee. 
 
- On October 4, 2004, the Ceylan InterContinental Hotel 
hosted the Country Council.  Tom Marlowe, from FEMA's 
Emergency Management Institute, presented a lecture on 
"Emergency Planning." Ninety-two were in attendance. 
 
- On March 31, 2005, Joe Schafer, Sr, from Diplomatic 
Security's Office of Counter-Intelligence, spoke before 
fifty-three members of the Istanbul OSAC on "Economic 
Espionage: The Threat and How to Combat it."  Due to the 
subject matter invitations were restricted to only the 
OSAC membership.  The RSO found this presentation to be 
particularly well received by the membership.  The venue 
for the event was the Hilton Hotel. 
 
- On April 15, 2005, Colonel Nick Pratt, USMC (Ret), the 
Director of the Marshall Center's Program on Terrorism and 
Security Studies, made a presentation to the Istanbul OSAC 
Country Council at the Ciragan Palace Hotel entitled "What 
is Terrorism Today and What Measures are Available to 
Counter this World-wide Threat."  One hundred guests were 
in attendance.  Colonel Pratt's visit to Istanbul was 
sponsored by the Consulate's Public Affairs Section.  In 
addition to the OSAC presentation, Colonel Pratt made 
three other presentations on various terrorist related 
subjects for Public Affairs.  RSO found the collaboration 
between the security office and Public Affairs to be 
particularly valuable. 
 
3.  (U) Issues and Concerns: 
 
Clearly the major issue on the minds of the membership is 
terrorism.  Post will continue to work with the Country 
Council to help ensure that they are both informed and 
prepared.  In Istanbul, the threat of earthquakes remains 
ever present.  Both of these subjects will continue to 
dominate the Istanbul Chapter's agenda. 
 
4.  (U) Outlook 
RSO hopes to have the opportunity to introduce the new 
Post management, to include the new ambassador, to the 
Country Council in the coming year. 
 
RSO and Public Affairs are again collaborating on bringing 
a speaker to Istanbul in the coming months.  The subject 
will again be on Emergency Planning and Earthquake 
Mitigation. 
 
 
 
 
ARNETT