US embassy cable - 05ANKARA5333

UNCLAS ANKARA 005333 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/EUR/RUSNACK 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, TBIO, BEXP, TU, EU Accession 
SUBJECT: TURKEY WELCOMES U.S. ASSISTANCE FOR 
ENVIRONMENT RELATED EU ACCESSION INVESTMENTS. 
 
1.  Summary.  Faced with massive financial and 
implementation challenges in meeting EU environmental 
standards, Turkey is interested in working with the 
U.S. Government and private sector in key environmental 
areas such as medical waste, municipal solid waste, air 
quality monitoring, wastewater treatment and manure 
disposal from farms.  This could offer opportunities 
for enhanced government to government cooperation, as 
well as for the U.S. private sector.  End Summary. 
 
2.  Talking about EU accession environmental 
requirements in a July meeting, Ministry of Environment 
and Forestry Deputy Undersecretary Prof. Dr. Mustafa 
Ozturk told EconOff, CAO and Scientific Affairs 
Specialist that in order to meet EU environmental 
standards Turkey needs institutional capacity building 
and projects especially in the areas of medical waste, 
municipal solid waste, air quality monitoring, 
wastewater treatment and manure disposal from farms. 
He estimated that 40-60 billion euros will be spent 
over the coming 20 years in these sectors to comply 
with EU acquis. 
 
3.  Ozturk implied that - although they are working 
with EU specialists - Turkish organizations would 
generally prefer to work on technical issues with EPA 
and other U.S. environmental organizations.  He 
suggested organizing joint seminars and workshops in 
the areas mentioned above with an eye to identifying 
opportunities for more focused U.S.-Turkey cooperation 
on environmental issues.  He promised to send a letter 
to the Embassy specifying areas of possible cooperation 
as a follow-up to that conversation.  Note: Embassy has 
not received the letter, but will follow up with the 
GOT.  End Note. 
 
4.  A recent analysis of gaps in Turkey's domestic 
environmental legislation and administrative 
capabilities, carried out by European Commission 
officials identified a long list of deficiencies in 
water quality, air quality, waste management, nature 
protection, industrial pollution, noise, chemicals, and 
GMOs.  A recent World Bank report estimated the total 
cost for environmental investment for accession at 
between 28-49 billion euros, or 1-2.5% of GDP of Turkey 
per year for the 17 years.  Current annual investment 
in the environment sector is estimated at 0.5% of GDP, 
around $1 billion.  EU environment acquis are - in 
general - prescriptive on standards, but flexible on 
how to meet them, giving the GOT flexibility to be open 
to international cooperation with non-EU countries. 
 
5.  In addition to financial assistance from the EU, 
funding for this spending will come from a variety of 
sources, including the GOT, the municipalities, state 
enterprises and the private sector.  Experience with 
recent EU member states during their period of pre- 
accession reveals that external funds from the EC would 
likely provide only 25-30% of the state spending needs. 
 
6.  Comment: As in many areas of the potential EU 
accession, Turkey faces difficult and costly challenges 
in the environment chapter.  Turkey is perceived as 
generally weak on regulation and monitoring of 
pollution, waste water treatment, and solid waste 
disposal.  Embassy engaged a science fellow three years 
ago to work on the national sustainable development 
report for the Johannesburg WWSD Summit.  In addition 
to the ideas suggested above, there may be room for 
another fellow position to work on road-maps for 
regulation, monitoring, and compliance in the 
environmental sector and related to the EU process. 
End comment. 
MCELDOWNEY