VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1441/01 2251102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121102Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7113
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGUARD WASHDC
RUEAORC/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC

UNCLAS ANKARA 001441 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NP/ECC- YWONG, ACHURCH, BGOLDEN 
DEPT FOR EUR/ACE- DSILLIMAN, BHUNT, PMALIK 
DOE/NNSA- TPERRY, LPARKER, EDESCHLER 
CBP/INA- BWATTS, BPICKETT 
DOC FOR DCREED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TU
SUBJECT: EXBS: TURKEY ADVISORS MONTHLY REPORT- (JULY 2008) 
 
Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please handle appropriately. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  EXBS Advisor and Coordinator visited 
Kapikule and 
Ipsala Border Ports of Entry to review Customs Inspection and 
Enforcement 
operations and assess Turkish border security capabilities. 
MFA confirms 
Turkish interagency participation in a joint EXBS 
Nonproliferation 
Seminar at MFA headquarters Sept 17 & 18, 2008.  New Customs 
Enforcement 
Deputy General agrees to visit to U.S. for Senior 
Professional Exchanges. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Completed Actions for the Reporting Period: 
 
¶A. Meetings During Recent Reporting Period by EXBS Advisor 
and Coordinator: 
 
1) (SBU) July 1-7 - EXBS Advisor was on emergency leave. 
 
2) (SBU) July 11 - EXBS Advisor met with MFA Department Head 
for 
Nonproliferation and Disarmament Elif Ulgen to discuss 
details for the 
proposed EXBS Nonproliferation Seminar to take place mid 
September 2008 
and review general findings of the EXBS team's visit to the 
western 
borders with Bulgaria and Greece.  We reviewed the proposed 
agenda for 
the EXBS seminar, which included both US and GOT 
presentations.  Ulgen 
noted that while MFA would provide several presentations, she 
could not 
promise other agency presentations, as they where more 
interested in 
hearing about EXBS programs and about what our implementing 
agencies 
can offer. MFA would host the conference at the ministry and 
will 
provide all logistics on-site, to include AV, computer 
support, 
refreshments for breaks, and possibly lunches for US 
participants 
and non-fasting GOT participants.  Ulgen will seek out 
interagency 
input for dates and agenda items. 
 
(SBU) Advisor provided Ulgen with a generally favorable 
overview 
of the border visits of the week before.  She requested a 
report 
of findings so that GOT could gain an "outsiders," 
prospective 
of their borders. In regard to Advisor's request to plan 
additional 
border visits in the near term, she noted that they would 
prefer to 
have their interagency group visit the border locations 
first, to 
evaluate each border prior to another visit by EXBS, which 
will most 
likely occur in October/November time frame. Advisor noted 
the need 
to visit more border locations before the fall since weather 
restricts 
access to many of them, which could delay planning efforts 
for near term 
activities, but Ulgen was firm in stating that future visits 
would 
need to wait until GOT interagency group visits are 
completed. 
 
3) (SBU) July 15-18 - EXBS Advisor and Coordinator visited 
the two major 
land border gates between Turkey and the European Union on 
July 16th and 
17th.  At each location, both Customs and Custom Enforcement 
directors 
and regional officials provided a comprehensive brief of 
their capacities 
and provided us with open access to their border inspection 
operations. 
 
(SBU) On July 16th, EXBS Team visited the Kapikule Border 
Gate (Port of 
Entry) with Bulgaria.  Kapikule is Turkey's busiest vehicular 
border 
gate, with daily traffic ranging from 2000 to 6000 passenger 
vehicles and 
between 200 to 600 commercial trucks, depending on the 
season.  The entire 
border gate area is under renovation, creating a challenging 
situation for 
both inbound and outbound vehicles to navigate and Customs to 
track 
vehicular traffic.  Both inbound and outbound lanes have 
older Ludlum 
Gamma Radiation Portal monitors installed on the western side 
of the 
border gate, but only the inbound monitor works.  We did a 
brief visit 
to the Bulgarian Border Gate and confirmed that Bulgaria does 
have the 
newer Ludlum Gamma/Neutron Portal Radiation Monitors, but 
could not confirm 
their status.  During the summer months, Custom officials 
noted that the line 
of vehicle can extend for miles on the Bulgarian side due to 
thousands of 
Turkish guest workers returning for holiday from Germany. 
Kapikule is a 
vehicle, rail, and passenger crossing. 
 
(SBU) On July 17th, EXBS team visited the Ipsala Border Gate 
with Greece. 
The border gate area is about 50% the size of Kapikule, with 
daily traffic 
ranging between 200-600 passenger vehicles and 60-120 
commercial trucks. 
This border gate is only three plus years old and is very 
organized in its 
operations facilities and traveler amenities.  There are no 
radiation 
detection portal monitors at this border gate.  We briefly 
visited the Greek 
border gate adjoining Ipsala, a substantially smaller gate 
than Ipsala, and 
confirmed that there are no portal monitors there either. 
Ipsala is a 
vehicle and passenger border crossing. 
 
(SBU) General observations of EXBS team at each border gate: 
 
(SBU) There are 75 Customs Inspectors and 75 Enforcement 
Officers (44 are 
undercover smuggling, intelligence & narcotics officers) at 
Kapikule. At 
Ipsala there are 33 Customs inspectors and 44 Enforcement 
officers (7 are 
undercover smuggling, intelligence and narcotics).  The 
numbers of 
officers at both border gates are substantially lower than 
needed for the 
volume of traffic at each border gate, and most of their 
training is by OJT 
by the senior customs officers, with no formal training. 
 
(SBU) While Ipsala is better equipped for vehicle inspections 
due to newer 
inspection bay and an extensive amount of mechanical tools, 
both gates have 
minimal inspection and detection equipment for routine 
searches.  Customs 
Inspectors and Enforcement Officers have no personal 
inspection tools 
(screw drivers, flashlights, pliers, density testers, sample 
picks, or 
radiation pagers) to aid them with searches.  There where no 
CT-30 
Contraband Inspection kits at either location. At both 
locations, 
vehicle/truck x-ray units where in use (one in each direction 
at Kapikule, 
only one for the inbound lane at Ipsala). Each unit can x-ray 
120 
trucks/cars per day, and are heavily used by their well 
trained operators. 
This is the main tool that Customs Enforcement uses in the 
detection of 
drugs and other contraband. 
 
(SBU) Customs and Customs Enforcement officers do an 
excellent job with 
ongoing risk analyst to determine high-risk targets, 
including extensive 
vehicle plate recognition systems, behavioral observations, 
weighing of 
all commercial trucks, manifest reviews and entry/comparison 
of driver, 
vehicle, and cargo data into a central database, and visual 
inspection 
of vehicles and cargo at both border gates.  Unfortunately, 
from a 
nonproliferation perspective, most inspectors and enforcement 
officials 
are not familiar with Export Control requirements for 
Dual-use items or 
licensing requirements, leaving both border gates at risk for 
proliferation 
concerns, including the lack of effective portal radiation 
monitors. 
 
(SBU) For both inbound and outbound traffic, the Turkish 
National Police 
is the first station to perform Passport Control for all 
persons entering 
and departing Turkey.  Passports are scanned and verified for 
authenticity 
and data is into a networked central data base.  Vehicles 
then transit to 
the Customs station for vehicle registration and proceed to 
the Customs 
Enforcement inspection area (an open parking lot in Kapikule) 
and all 
vehicle occupants are required to exit the vehicle and open 
all luggage. 
The luggage and vehicle are inspected by a Customs 
Enforcement officer. 
Once this search is completed, the vehicle moves to the final 
station 
and their documents are verified to ensure they have been 
stamped by each 
inspection station, and then it is allowed to depart the 
Customs border gate. 
 
(SBU) Commercial vehicles use the same process, but are 
weighed upon entry 
and processed with a higher degree of Risk Analysis. 
Inspections focus on 
compliance of revenue requirements for commercial goods and 
narcotic and 
synthetic drug smuggling.  Both Kapikule and Ipsala use rail 
based x-ray 
scanning units and operators have extensive experience at 
operating these 
systems and detecting anomalies in the images.  Both border 
gates have had 
numerous seizures of heroin, synthetic drugs and undeclared 
goods. 
 
(SBU) Our initial recommendations is for the EXBS program to 
offer the 
following to the GOT: 
 
-- An assortment of personal inspection tools (Gerber tools, 
flashlights, 
K10 Buster Density testers, etc.) for Customs Enforcement 
officers 
at each location; 
-- basic International Border Interdiction, Targeting and 
Risk Management, 
and Dual-Use/Commodity Identification Training at each border 
location; 
-- assistance to Turkish Customs with the development of a 
Customs 
Enforcement Academy for new officers and specialized 
training; and 
-- Radiation Detection equipment at each location to include 
new 
Dual-channel Portal Radiation Detection Monitors (6 Kapikule 
(4 vehicle 
& 2 rail), 2 Ipsala), Radiation Detection Pagers (75 
Kapikule, 25 Ipsala), 
and 4 Ridds/Hand-held detectors at each location. 
 
4) (U) July 22 - Met w/Undersecretariat of Customs, 
Enforcement Head of 
Department Ender Gurleyik.  Reviewed initial finding of 
Kapikule/Ipsala 
border visits and discussed various training and equipment 
requirements for 
the future.  Gurleyik was glad that we where able to visit 
the border and 
is eager to get our recommendations on what they can do to 
improve their 
enforcement activities. 
 
5) (U) July 23 - EXBS Advisor attended a PISCES 
demonstration, presented 
by ISN/WMDT.  ISN is seeking to provide Turkey with a 
complete PISCES 
hardware/software package of computers, servers, passport 
readers, 
fingerprint readers, and associated training this FY. ISN 
provided a 
comprehensive demonstration for GOT to include MFA, TNP, and 
airport 
personnel. 
 
6) (U) July 23 - EXBS Advisor met again with MFA,s Ulgen to 
review 
interagency input into the EXBS Seminar agenda. As expected, 
Ulgen noted 
that the interagency does not want to provide any 
presentations at this 
seminar.   Advisor noted the value of both US and GOT 
participation in 
this seminar to ensure a more complete EXBS program.  Advisor 
and Ulgen 
reviewed existing details for the proposed EXBS 
Nonproliferation Seminar 
and confirmed the dates of September 17th -18th for this 
event, which 
will be held at conference facility at the MFA.  EXBS Team 
toured the 
seminar site, met with facilities engineer, and confirmed 
that the 
facilities are fully capable of supporting the seminar. 
 
7) (U) July 25 - Met w/TNP Criminal Police Laboratory Bomb 
Disposal 
Unit Head of Section, Cengiz Ozdem and his new Deputy Kanbi 
Apaydin 
to review hand-held training materials and radiation 
detection equipment 
which was shipped to TNP by DOE/SLD.  All equipment is in 
place for the 
August 18-29 SLD Hand-held training program.  Apaydin will 
become the new 
section head for the Bomb Disposal Training Academy and Ozem 
has been 
promoted to oversee the TNP's Forensics facilities that are 
being collocated 
with the Bomb Disposal Academy, as well as management of all 
bomb disposal 
units throughout Turkey. 
 
8) (U) July 31 - Anthony Godfrey reported to Post as the new 
Counselor 
Officer for Political-Military Affairs, replacing Carl 
Siebentritt as overall 
supervisor of EXBS Advisor at Post. 
 
9) (U) July 31 - Met w/Undersecretariat of Customs' newly 
appointed Director 
General for Customs Enforcement  Nest Erkoc.  We discussed 
the recent 
border visits to western turkey and his desire to have EXBS 
and DEA teams 
from Embassy participate inQnt visits to Customs border 
posts in the 
future.  During this visit, we discussed the possibility of 
having Erkoc 
and some of his senior advisors visit the US to meet his 
counterparts, 
including his request to visit DEA headquarters while in 
Washington. 
While in the United States, we discussed the possibility of 
his delegation 
also visiting FLETC and other DHS/CBP training academies, as 
well as 
Charleston Seaport, a Texas Port of Entry, and a rural 
section of the 
US/Mexico border that uses remote sensors. Erkoc noted that 
Turkey is 
working to restructure their border management system and he 
believes 
that Customs will be a major stakeholder in this 
restructuring. 
 
(U) Action Request: Advisor supports a senior Customs 
delegation visit 
to US and GOT believes that late October through late 
November is an ideal 
time for this visit.  Request ECC and DHS/CBP advise on 
funding scheduling 
availability for this visit.  If approved, Customs External 
Affairs will 
also participate in this visit at a senior level. 
 
¶B. (U) Training Conducted During this Reporting Period: - 
None this period. 
 
¶C. (U) Equipment Delivered During this Reporting Period: 
None this period. 
 
¶D. (U) Imminent Training or Equipment Status Update:  DOE/SLD 
will provide 
Radiation Detection training for TNP's Bomb Disposal Academy 
from August 
18th - 29th, 2008. EXBS will send two Turkish Officials to 
UGA Export Control 
Academy August 11 - 22, 2008. 
 
¶E. (U) Significant Developments in Export Controls, 
Nonproliferation, or 
Related Border Security: MFA has provided a draft copy of the 
proposed 
additions to Turkey's Export Control Laws currently with 
Parliament.  EXBS 
is having this document translated and will provide an 
English copy to 
relevant agencies by mid August. 
 
¶3. (U) Future Activities: Embassy Ankara will co-host with 
Turkish MFA 
the EXBS Nonproliferation Symposium in Ankara on 17 - 18 
September, 2008. 
Both U.S. and Turkish interagency that worQth EXBS 
Nonproliferation 
initiatives will be participating in the seminar. 
 
¶4. (U) Red Flag Issues:  None. 
 
¶5. (U) Contact information for EXBS Program Ankara is: 
Robert Cieslinski, EXBS 
Advisor, Email: CieslinskiRL@state.gov, Office (90) (312) 
457-7210, Cell (90) 
(533) 716-4808 and Erhan Mert, EXBS Coordinator, Email: 
MertE2@state.gov, Office 
(90)312 457-7059, Cell (90) (533) 264-8407. EXBS Program 
Office Fax (90) (312) 
468-4775. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
SILLIMAN