VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1789 3501520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161520Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1493
INFO RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ANKARA 001789 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR: G/TIP, INL, DRL, PRM, EUR/SE, EUR/PGI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREF ELAB TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: NEW NATIONAL PROJECT TO COMBAT TIP 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 273 
     ¶B. 08 ANKARA 1956 
 
¶1. (SBU) MFA Department Head for Migration and Asylum Berlan 
Alan told us December 10 his ministry is spearheading a 
multi-agency effort to create a comprehensive plan for 
addressing trafficking in persons (TIP) in Turkey.  The plan 
will propose legislation that, if approved, would empower the 
Ministry of Finance to allocate money to individual 
ministries or NGOs that would take responsibility for some 
aspect of TIP. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Alan told us the Prime Ministry approved the second 
national action plan against TIP in June, which had been 
awaiting approval for some time.  The new action plan will 
complement an ongoing EU project aimed at developing 
sustainablitiy in the fight against trafficking.  As part of 
the new action plan and to prepare for the end of funding 
from the EU project, the MFA is leading a new "national 
project."  This project comprises representatives from the 
Ministries of Interior, Justice, and Labor, as well as from 
the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and NGOs. 
The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive plan to 
address trafficking in persons.  The plan will identify a 
ministry or NGO that can be designated as responsible for an 
aspect of combating TIP.  The MFA hopes to then develop 
legislation to secure GOT funding for each responsible 
entity.  The MFA goal is to have the draft plan ready in 
March to present to the DPT (State Planning Organization.) 
In May, the MFA hopes to have the draft legislation approved 
by the DPT and ready for consideration by parliament. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Alan told us he expects some difficulty with the 
Ministry of Finance (MoF), and is trying to proactively 
resolve potential problems.  He said in the past his office 
submitted requests for funding to the MoF, which rejected 
them without explanation.  Alan invited the MoF to 
participate in the meetings in order to help guide them on 
proper preparation of TIP funding legislation, but they have 
not yet accepted.  He also foresees a potential funding 
shortage, particularly for IOM and some of the NGOs in the 
interim period, as the legislation will not be approved for 
funding this year (as Turkey's budget deliberations end 
December 31.)  The MFA will work with IOM and the NGOs to 
apply to the Prime Ministry for TIP shelter funding and to 
outside sources for other funding until the legislation is 
approved. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT:  Turkey faces a continual struggle with 
sustained funding for TIP.  This proposed plan, if enacted, 
would solve much of the funding issues faced by the GOT, IOM, 
and NGOs, particularly for shelters that currently have no 
dedicated funding and face uncertain futures. 
Silliman 
 
           "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s 
gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"