06ANKARA1252

Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
06ANKARA1252	2006-03-10 13:03	2011-08-24 01:00	UNCLASSIFIED	Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXYZ0015
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1252/01 0691303 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 101303Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3861 INFO RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU IMMEDIATE 1343 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 2995 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN IMMEDIATE 1205 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 0018

UNCLAS ANKARA 001252 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA PGOV TU AM AJ GG SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY DANIEL FRIED, AMBASSADOR STEVEN MANN AND DELEGATION TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY MARCH 16 - 20, 2006

REF: A. STATE 37043

    ¶B. STATE 38462 

¶1. (U) Mission warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried, Ambassador Steven Mann, and Elizabeth Rood to travel to Turkey from March 16 - 21, 2006 for meetings with government officials. We understand that A/S Fried will depart Turkey on March 17, and Ambassador Mann and Ms. Rood will continue to Istanbul on March 19th, and leave Turkey on March 21, 2006. We also understand, by separate communication, that David Merkel will not be accompanying the delegation.

The point of contact for the visit is Political Officer Linda Fenton who can be reached at (90)(312) 455-5555 extension 0, 24 hours a day or via cell phone at 0555 358 6805. Hotel reservations have been made at the Ankara Sheraton, Noktali Sokak No. 47, Kavaklidere, Ankara, Phone Number 90-312-468-5454, fax number 90-312-467-1136, for A/S Fried and Elizabeth Rood at the rate of 130 USD per night, excluding VAT and breakfast. Istanbul arrangements and control officer information will be forwarded in separate communications.

¶2. (U) Travelers are requested to forward fiscal data for after-hours and overtime transportation expenses.

¶3. (U) 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.

¶4. (U) 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: 1-877-394-747); fax 1-800-232-3299; or via the internet at HTTP//www.cdc.gov.

¶5. (U) 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, 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

¶6. (U) 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 http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON