VZCZCXRO0437
PP RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #5955/01 2891453
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161453Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9416
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0775
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 1233
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 005955 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA APER IZ TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR PMA OFFICER SARA L. HORNER 
 
REF: BAGHDAD 03829 
 
¶1. Post grants country clearance for Sara L. Horner to visit 
Turkey for the purpose of accompanying Embassy officers on 
familiarization travel to southeastern Turkey and the 
Turkey-Iraq border area during the period October 16-19. 
POCs for the visit are PMA Counselor Carl Siebentritt and 
Assistant Army Attache Randy Smith.  Lodging arrangements 
have been made at the Swisshotel in Ankara as requested. 
 
¶2. Visas:  All Americans traveling to Turkey must have a 
valid visa.  Travelers without a visa can obtain a visa valid 
for one entry/three months at port of entry upon payment of a 
USD 20 fee.  This fee is payable only in U.S. dollars cash. 
There is no fee for official travel if the visa is obtained 
outside of Turkey. 
 
¶3. Health Safety:  Information on vaccinations and other 
health precautions can be obtained from the Center for 
Disease Control and Prevention hotline for international 
travelers (tel: 1-877-394-8747); fax 1-800-232-3299; or via 
the internet at HTTP//www.cdc.gov. 
 
¶4. Security Assessment:  In the aftermath of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom (OIF) there continues to be the potential for both 
transnational and indigenous terrorist groups to target U.S. 
interests in Turkey.  After the Gulf War, the predecessor to 
the Turkish Terrorist Group Revolutionary People's Liberation 
Party/Front (DHKP/C) assassinated four Americans in Turkey 
and carried out numerous bombings of U.S. targets (mostly 
private sector businesses, although two rockets were directed 
toward the Consulate General in Istanbul).  Subsequent to the 
ending of OIF hostilities, there have been isolated terrorist 
bombings attributed to DHKP/C and other indigenous terrorist 
groups in protest of OIF.  Other Turkish terrorist groups 
with anti-Western sympathies include 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). 
 
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 car 
bombs.  On November 20, 2003 the British Consulate General 
and the London-based HSBC bank in Istanbul were damaged by 
powerful explosions, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. 
These incidents represent a significant change from prior 
attacks in Turkey, which have previously involved 
small-scale, random bombings and small numbers of casualties. 
 The investigations of these incidents in Istanbul remain 
open but transnational terrorist links are suspected.  The 
potential for violence and terrorist actions against U.S. 
citizens and interests continue. 
 
The Turkish National Police (TNP) is quite responsive in 
their role as protector of U.S. diplomatic and military 
interests in Turkey.  The TNP has provided enhanced coverage 
at each of our facilities in Ankara, Istanbul, Adana and 
Izmir.  The incidence of crime, both violent and the more 
traditional tourist crimes (pick pocketing, purse-snatching, 
etc.), is relatively low throughout Turkey.  Visitors to 
Istanbul should be aware that tourist-type crimes are more 
prevalent there, especially in the traditionalist tourist 
areas, such as Sultanahmet and Istiklal Caddesi.  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 websites: 
 
--Embassy Ankara:  HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR (Click on 
Security Matters) 
 
--Consulate General Istanbul: 
HTTP://USCONSULATE-ISTANBUL.ORG.TR 
 
¶5. For further information regarding travel in Turkey, 
consult the consular information sheet.  The consulate 
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) websites: 
HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/TURKEY.HTML 
 
--US Embassy Ankara: 
HTTP://WWW.USEMB-ANKARA.ORG.TR 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
 
ANKARA 00005955  002 OF 002 
 
 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON