VZCZCXRO8233
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHAK #4703/01 2231507
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111507Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7922
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1715
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 7350
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0452
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 1551
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3055
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6591
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 1066
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 3057
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0077
RUEHVT/AMEMBASSY VALLETTA 0063
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1086
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1011
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5292
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUCBNLA/COMUSNAVEUR DET ONE LONDON UK//POLAD//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUWDSGG/CG I MEF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004703 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR NOAA 
STATE ALSO FOR OES/OMC RIDDLE FOR COAST GUARD 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR USOECD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV MARR TU LE SY
SUBJECT:  TURKEY NOT LIKELY AFFECTED BY LEBANON OIL SPILL 
 
REF: LONDON 5867 
 
ANKARA 00004703  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Contrary to alarmist press reporting in Turkey, 
a variety of assessments assign a low probability to the Lebanon oil 
spill reaching Turkey.  Still, the possibility cannot be excluded, 
in which instance Turkey might need assistance for cleanup.  Turkey 
has improved its legislation and capacity for oil spill response, 
but it still has significant constraints and is a work in progress. 
Turkey would rely on industry and other outside help -- including 
potentially from the USG -- to cope with any serious oil spill 
cleanup.  End Summary. 
 
---------------------------------- 
LOW PROBABILITY OF REACHING TURKEY 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Although the oil spill is a calamity for Lebanon and 
potentially for Syria (reftel), it appears unlikely that it will 
affect Turkey.  Middle East Technical University Marine Sciences 
Institute President Sukru Besiktepe, who works closely with the 
IMO's Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Center (REMPEC) 
in Malta, estimated that 80% of the oil slick was on Lebanon 
beaches, 19% evaporated, and 1% on the water.  He believed that oil 
which had been detected and mitigated on Syrian beaches was mainly 
due to illegal discharge from ships at sea. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  London-based Oil Spill Regional Preparedness Initiative 
(OSPRI) (affiliated with the International Petroleum Industry 
Environmental Conservation Association) Manager Peter Taylor told us 
that the most current modeling predicted no impact on Turkey. 
Therefore, the risk to Turkey was low, but not zero.  He said that 
satellite images -- albeit imperfect indicators -- corroborated 
this.  Overflights would normally provide better information, but 
this was impossible in Lebanon.  He said that a UNEP/OCHA/IMO/REMPEC 
expert mission had mitigated some oil in Syria, but that the source 
was unclear.  Taylor noted that the heavy fuel oil spilled after the 
bombing of the al-Jiyah power plant was particularly harmful and 
persistent in the environment.  He said that in the event the spill 
reached Turkey, it would be very difficult to combat on the water 
when it is weeks old and fragmented.  Instead, shore crews would 
have to be used. 
 
¶4.  Turkey Coast Guard Commander Admiral Can Erenoglu confirmed to 
us that there was not an imminent threat to Turkey from the 
10-15,000 tons spilled in Lebanon.  He indicated that there had been 
no request for assistance to Turkey from Lebanon or Syria.  Erenoglu 
said that the Coast Guard had primary responsibility for pollution 
at sea caused by vessels. 
 
---------------------------------- 
LOCAL CLEANUP CAPABILITIES LIMITED 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Noting Turkey's pivotal role in oil transport, Taylor 
said that OSPRI had worked closely with both Turkey and the regional 
Black Sea Commission (littoral states environmental group) on 
training and oil spill response readiness.  He observed that the 
Malta-based REMPEC was much more mature than the Black Sea 
Commission.  Taylor said that Turkey had passed new domestic 
legislation, was preparing a National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, 
and was working on secondary regulation.  (While the Ministry of 
Environment and Forestry has overall responsibility for pollution, 
oil on water is effectively delegated to the Undersecretariat for 
Maritime Affairs' Coastal Protection and Emergency Action 
Department.)  METU's Besiktepe said that the new BTC port facility 
at Ceyhan had equipment and trained personnel that could offer help. 
 They have worked together with the GOT on joint drills.  BP told us 
 
ANKARA 00004703  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
that the BTC equipment was limited to "tier one", meaning intended 
for immediate response to an isolated tanker spill, versus "tier 
three" - a larger, dispersed oil spill - which would presumably be 
the need if the Lebanon spill reached Turkey. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  A number of industry and NGO contacts pointed out that 
Turkey's oil spill response structure is still new and untested as 
the Maritime and Environment structures learn to work together.  In 
the event of a serious spill, Turkey would rely on the help of 
industry and outside resources.  Taylor said that expertise could be 
available from a number of locations, but the closest significant 
stock of emergency equipment was in the UK.  He said that at the 
time of the 1999 earthquake and damage to the Izmit Refinery, BP 
mobilized expertise and equipment from the UK to respond. 
 
---------------- 
RISK TO WILDLIFE 
---------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  A reputable Turkish environmental NGO "Doga Dernegi" told 
us that a potential oil spill in Turkey's Mediterranean coast would 
affect large areas and a number of species.  He pointed out that 
Iskenderun Bay was a significant habitat for Mediterranean (Ak 
Deniz) seals and the Seyhan-Ceyhan and Goksu Deltas were major 
migratory stops for rare birds.  The NGO rep admitted that there was 
weak cooperation and preparation among environmental NGO's. 
 
------------------------------------- 
COMMENT: OUTSIDE HELP WOULD BE NEEDED 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Comment:  Given U.S. global leadership in oil spill 
response, USG assistance in organizing a response, potentially 
calling on U.S. assets and experts, could be useful in the event 
that oil reaches Turkish shores.  Post will keep abreast of 
developments and reach out to the Department as necessary. 
 
WILSON