VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #4986/01 2411236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291236Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8259
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COGARD TRACEN YORKTOWN VA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1168
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RULSJGI/COGARD INTELCOORDCEN WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/39ABG CP INCIRLIK AB TU PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COGARD MIO EUROPE ROTTERDAM NL PRIORITY

UNCLAS ANKARA 004986 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC: JFEENEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC KCRM PARM SNAR TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CG MCKAY +3 
(SEP 17-23 2006) 
 
REF: COGARD TRACEN YORKTOWN 241137Z AUG 06 
 
¶1.  Embassy Ankara grants country clearance to Coast Guard 
Officials Raymond McKay, Irvin Jones, Noel Bolleurs and 
Daniel Vazquez who will travel to Izmir to conduct an 
EXBS-sponsored Port Security/Port Vulnerability workshop from 
September 17 to 23, 2006. 
 
¶2. Control Officer is Kevin Lyon who can be contacted via the 
IVG 295-2525 or Commercial (90)(312)455-5555 ext.2525 or 
through Embassy switchboard ext 0. 
 
¶3.  Lodging arrangements have been made and will be provided 
via separate correspondence. 
 
¶4.  Visas:  All Americans entering Turkey must have a valid 
visa.  Travelers without a visa can obtain a visa (valid for 
one entry for three months at ports of entry upon payment of 
a USD 20 fee payable in cash).  There is no fee for official 
travel if the visa is obtained outside of Turkey. 
 
¶5.  Health Safety:  Information on vaccinations and other 
health precautions can be obtained from the Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention.  The hotline for 
international travelers (tel: 1- 877-394-8747), fax: 
1-800-cdc-fax(1-800-232-3299), or via their internet site at: 
HTTP://WWW.CSC.GO. 
 
¶6.  Security Assessment:  In light of ongoing military 
operations in Iraq and continued operations in support of the 
war on terrorism there remains the potential for both 
transnational terrorist groups with anti-Western sympathies, 
to include Kongra Gel (formerly PKK), Revolutionary People's 
Liberation/Front (DHKP/C), Marxist-Leninist Communist Party 
(MLKP) Turkish Communist Party/Marxist Leninist (TKP/ML), 
Turkish Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army (TIKKO) and 
Islamic Greater Eastern Raiders/Front (IBDA/C) continue to 
operate in Turkey. Attacks over the last few years, 
attributed to these groups, have occurred in the Aegean and 
Mediterranean coastal resort areas, as well as in Istanbul. 
Most of the attacks, generally small-scale bombings, have 
occurred in neighborhoods of Istanbul not generally 
frequented by official Americans or tourists.  Also in 2005 
and 2006 public buses have been set on fire, with the most 
recent incident resulting in three deaths.  Thus far, these 
attacks on buses also have taken place in areas of Istanbul 
distant from official American or tourist destinations.  A 
Kurdish group, ostensibly aligned with the PKK terrorists, 
claimed responsibility for many of the incidents noted above, 
and in April 2006 this group issued a statement renewing a 
threat to target Turkey's tourism industry. 
 
Violent demonstrations have occurred throughout Turkey, the 
most recent in Istanbul and in several cities in Southeastern 
Turkey. Just as with members of Mission Turkey, USG visitors 
are required to obtain RSO Ankara and DCM approval for travel 
to the Southeast. Al-Qa'ida threats to target U.S. facilities 
in Turkey have been public knowledge for some time.  On 
November 15, 2003 two synagogues in Istanbul were the targets 
of suicide truck bombs. 
 
On November 20, 2003 the British Consulate General and the 
London based HSBC Bank in Istanbul were struck by powerful 
explosions, killing dozens and wounding hundreds.  Through 
prosecutions of those responsible are still ongoing, 
indications are that the indigenous radical Islamic terrorist 
group responsible was supported by the Al-Qa'ida network. 
The August 2005 discovery in Antalya of a potential plot 
against maritime interests and subsequent arrest of a Syrian 
Al-Qa'ida facilitator and planner further attest to the 
ongoing transnational threat. The incidence of crime, both 
violent and the more traditional tourists crimes (pick 
pocketing, purse-snatching, etc.), is relatively low 
throughout Turkey.  However, over the last year, there has 
been a marked increase in the number of crimes reported to 
Consulate General Istanbul.  Much of the crime is centered in 
the areas frequented by tourists, Consulate employees and 
official visitors.  Visitors should be particularly attentive 
for pick pockets in and around the Sultanahmet, Taksim 
 
Square, and Istiklal Caddesi areas of Istanbul.  Often pick 
pocketing is preceded by some sort of diversion, such as an 
argument or fight, or children asking to assist tourists, for 
example with their bags.  If you encounter such activity, 
secure your wallet or purse and quickly leave the area. 
Another scam that is becoming more prevalent is that of a 
stranger approaching a visitor and striking up a conversation 
which is continued inside a restaurant or club, where one is 
either drugged and robbed or presented with an enormous bill 
and intimidated into paying it.  The security office 
encourages visitors to report any security incidents, 
including surveillance, to the RSO immediately. 
 
Useful security information about Turkey is available on the 
following web-sites: 
 
--Embassy Ankara:  HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR  (Click on 
Security Matters) 
 
--Consulate General Istanbul:  HTTP://WWW.USCONSULATE- 
ISTANBUL.ORG.TR 
 
¶7.  For further information regarding travel in Turkey, 
consult the Consular information sheet.  The Consular 
information sheet and public announcements are available on 
the internet at:  HTTP://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV 
 
Other information is available on the following websites: 
 
--The State Department Consular Affairs (CA) website: 
HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/TURKEY.HTML 
 
--Turkish Daily News (English Language Turkish newspaper): 
HTTP://WWW.TURKISHDAILYNEWS.COM 
 
--Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: HTTP://WWW.MFA.GOV.TR 
 
--The Republic of Turkey Home Page: 
HTTP://WWW.TURKEY/INDEX.HTML 
 
--Weather for Turkey: 
HTTP://WWW.WUNDERGROUND.COM/GLOBAL/TU.HTML 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON