US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4948

S E C R E T ANKARA 004948 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2013 
TAGS: ETTC, KCRM, PTER, SNAR, TU 
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH MFA ON BASAYEV PRENOTIFICATION AND 
FSAT REPORT 
 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 224095 
     B. B) STATE 197548 
 
 
 1. (U) CLASSSIFIED BY ECONOMIC COUNSELOR SCOT MARCIEL FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B), (D). 
 
 
2. (SBU) ON AUGUST 5, EMBOFFS MET WITH MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR 
GENERAL FOR RESEARCH AND INTELLIGENCE HAKAN OKCAL TO EXECUTE 
REFTEL INSTRUCTIONS. 
 
 
3. (S) EMBOFFS DELIVERED REF A TALKING POINTS EMPHASIZING THE 
CLOSE HOLD.  AS EXPECTED, OKCAL NOTED THAT THE GOT WOULD NEED 
UN APPROVAL OF THE DESIGNATION BEFORE ISSUING A 
LEGALLY-BINDING DECREE.  ACCORDING TO OKCAL THIS IS A 
SOMEWHAT CUMBERSOME PROCESS BUT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT 
COURTS TAKE ACTION AGAINST DESIGNATED INDIVIDUALS.  IN THE 
MEANTIME, OKCAL UNDERTOOK TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH 
APPROPRIATE AGENCIES WHO WOULD CHECK THEIR FILES AND 
DATABASES FOR EVIDENCE OF BASAYEV ASSETS OR ACTIVITIES IN 
TURKEY. 
 
 
 
 
4. (C) OKCAL COMMENTED ON THE RECURRING FRICTIONS BETWEEN 
TURKISH AND RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES OVER ALLEGED TURKISH SUPPORT 
FOR CHECHEN GROUPS. OKCAL PUT THE NUMBER OF TURKS OF CHECHEN 
OR CIRCASSIAN ORIGIN AT 4 OR 5 MILLION BUT CLAIMED THAT THE 
GOT HAD ACTED DECISIVELY TO CLOSE DOWN TURKISH CITIZENS' 
FUNDING OF CHECHEN TERRORISTS AND CHECHEN REBELS ACCESS TO 
TURKEY.  THE GOR, ESPECIALLY MILITARY AND SECURITY OFFICIALS, 
OCCASIONALLY ACCUSE THE GOT OF NOT BEING TOUGH ENOUGH ON THIS 
ISSUE BUT OKCAL DENIED THESE ACCUSATIONS AND NOTED THE GOT 
HAD SIMILAR CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIAN POLICY VIS-A-VIS THE PKK. 
 
 
5. (U) AS REQUESTED IN REF B, EMBOFFS PASSED ON THE FSAT 
REPORT TO OKCAL.  OKCAL THANKED THE USG FOR THE REPORT AND 
SAID HE WOULD REVIEW IT AND DISCUSS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES HAVING RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMBATTING FINANCIAL 
CRIMES. 
 
 
DEUTSCH