VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1529 2951454
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221454Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0087
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE MD PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1040
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ANKARA 001529 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PM/DTCC JOUBERT-LIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KOMC TU
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN BROKER INQUIRY: VERIFYING BONA FIDES 
OF REGISTERED BROKER MEHMET KAAN ASENA - CASE NO. K-2274 
 
REF: SECSTATE 99610 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: PolMil officer visited Altay Corporation on 
October 13 to meet with Vice President Mehmet Kaan Asena and 
a number of other principal officers.  Based on the site 
visit, the information provided by Altay Corporation during 
the meeting and a name check conducted by Post RSO, we 
believe Altay Corporation is a legitimate company 
appropriately licensed by the Government of Turkey to engage 
in defense services.  Company representatives were fully 
cooperative in answering our questions and made clear that 
the company does not engage in the brokering of items on the 
U.S. Munitions List; it does not have a storage facility for 
defense articles as it does not deal in the physical movement 
of defense hardware.  Company representatives stressed that 
they only engage in business activities with companies in 
Turkey, the U.S. and other NATO countries, and that it does 
not have business dealings in countries outside of NATO.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
A Well-Established Defense Service Company 
------------------------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) According to the information provided by 
representatives of the company, Altay Group was established 
in 1957 and its principal officers include: M. Murad Dural 
(President), M. Kaan Asena (VP Admin and Finance), Tevfik 
Umut (VP Technical), Haydar Satirtav (IT Group Director), and 
Hasan Gencturk (Contracts and Legal General Director).  The 
Altay Group is a member of the Turkish Industrialists' 
& Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and is the first Turkish 
defense firm to be included in the NATO 
Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG). The Altay Group has 47 
employees. 
 
Secure Facility 
--------------- 
¶3. (SBU) The company is licensed by the Ministry of National 
Defense to engage in defense-related business and has been 
accredited by the Government of Turkey to handle Turkey's 
classified information.  Mr. Asena showed us the company's 
NATO Clearance Certificate, the NATO AQAP-160 Certificate, 
the Ministry of Defense's (MND) Facility Security 
Certificate, the MND Software Development Certificate, and 
the National Security Certificate.  An armed guard is posted 
at the entry of the facility around the clock.  Visitors are 
asked to present a photo identification and all visitors are 
logged by the security 
guard. 
 
A Service Company that Does Not Deal in Hardware 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶4. (SBU) Company representatives told us that they do not 
handle or store defense articles for any of their clients, 
nor do they order USML components on behalf of their clients. 
 Altay Group's primary business is providing consulting 
services for foreign defense firms. The group does not handle 
the import of defense articles into Turkey nor has it applied 
for an export license on behalf of itself or its clients. 
While the company has helped from time to time its customers 
clear items through Turkish 
Customs, it is not directly involved in the import or exports 
of defense articles.  Company representatives stated that 
they do not have a secure warehouse facility to store USML 
items since they are not engaged in the import, export or 
storage of defense articles. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Based on the site visit, the information provided by 
company representatives and a name check conducted by Post,s 
RSO, post believes the Altay Corporation is a bona fide 
defense services company. 
 
JEFFREY 
 
           "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s 
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"