US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8696

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 008696 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2012 
TAGS: ASEC, KWMN, KCRM, PHUM, TU, TIP IN TURKEY 
SUBJECT: GOT MOVES ON TRAFFICKING-IN-PERSONS INITIATIVES 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert S. Deutsch; reasons 1.5 (b) and 
(d). 
 
 
1. (C) Summary.  MFA Deputy DirGen for Consular Affairs 
Topcuoglu told us 11/26 the GOT has established an 
inter-agency task force to address trafficking-in-persons 
(TIP) in Turkey.  The group's first priority is to establish 
and adopt the GOT's National Action Plan on TIP.  The plan, 
currently in its final drafting stage, takes a three-pronged 
approach: finalize the legal framework for combating TIP and 
its organizers, provide better assistance to victims in 
Turkey, and implement training and awareness programs. 
However, Topcuoglu warned current GOT internal procedures 
continue to slow implementation of many programs.  End 
summary. 
 
 
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GOT Task Force and National TIP Action Plan 
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2. (U) Nov 26 MFA Deputy DirGen for Consular Affairs 
Topcuoglu reviewed with us GOT progress on tackling TIP. 
Composed of approximately 25 members, the GOT TIP task force 
has met twice thus far and continues to meet every 15 days. 
The group is chaired by the MFA Directorate General for 
Consular Affairs and contains members from the Ministry of 
Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of 
Health, Directorate of Status and Problems of Women, and 
Child Protection Institution.  Smaller coordinating bodies 
are found within the Ministry of Interior in order to 
streamline MOI's response to TIP.  After determining the 
scope of each agency's TIP authority, the task force drafted 
an eleven-point National Action Plan which will become the 
framework for the GOT's fight against TIP. 
 
 
3. (C) Pending finalization by the relevant ministries, the 
National Action Plan seeks to first strengthen and finalize 
the legal framework for TIP by amending its Labour Law and 
Working Permission for Foreigners and its citizenship law. 
Whether Turkey's current eyewitness protection law for 
certain crimes is applicable to cases of human trafficking 
needs to clarified.  Second, the National Action Plan 
concentrates upon victim assistance.  Governors from the 
eastern city of Igdir to the western city of Istanbul have 
been tasked to identify existing buildings that could be used 
for victim shelters.  Following the establishment of victim 
shelters, a victim hotline would be established in 16 cities 
determined to be high TIP destinations.  GOT has further 
contacted NGOs to determine their potential role of 
assistance to victims.  Lastly, GOT seeks to implement 
comprehensive training and awareness programs aimed at the 
judiciary and law enforcement agencies in order to emphasize 
responsiveness to both victim assistance and prosecution of 
TIP organizers. 
 
 
4. (C) Topcuoglu cautioned the change in government has led 
to delays in the ratification time of the Palermo Convention 
on Trafficking which is required for the Turkish Ministry of 
Finance to allocate funding for any potential GOT 
initiatives.  She further added that statistics based upon 
the trafficking law passed in August 2002 would not be 
available until June 2003 at the earliest.  The Turkish 
Ministry of Justice requires the courts to submit statistical 
information (i.e., number of cases filed, how these were 
reconciled) only twice a year.  We stressed the importance of 
concrete actions and suggested NGOs may be able to help with 
certain aspects of the National Action Plan.  Topcuoglu 
stated the Task Force was exploring all possibilities. 
 
 
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Comment 
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5. (C) Embassy comment:  The creation of an inter-agency task 
force is a strong step by the GOT to combat TIP.  The 
ministerial-level personnel changes caused by the November 3 
GOT elections have caused the ratification of the Palermo 
Convention and other legal changes to be delayed.  However, 
working-level non-constitutional reforms, such as victim 
identification and NGO coordination could be implemented 
fairly quickly without bueracratic interference. End comment. 
DEUTSCH