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Viewing cable 05ANKARA7648, COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EUR/SE CYPUS DESK

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05ANKARA7648 2005-12-30 08:46 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #7648/01 3640846
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300846Z DEC 05
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2275
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 6821
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA PRIORITY 6510
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0010
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 9422
RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI PRIORITY 0184
UNCLAS ANKARA 007648 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV OTRA PREL TU GR CY
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR EUR/SE CYPUS DESK 
OFFICER ELISE MELLINGER TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY JANUARY 18-19, 
2005 
 
REF: STATE 231349 
 
1. (U) Mission warmly welcomes and grants country clearance 
to EUR/SE Cyprus Desk Officer Elise Mellinger to travel to 
Ankara January 18 - 19 and to Istanbul January 20 - 22, 2005. 
 The purpose of the visit is to conduct meetings with local 
government officials.  The point of contact for the visit in 
Ankara is Political Officer Philip Kaplan who can be reached 
through the embassy switchboard at (90)(312) 455-5555 
extension 0, 24 hours a day.  The point of contact at the 
American Consulate in Istanbul is Political Officer Alicia 
Allison who can be reached through the consulate switchboard 
at (90) (212) 335-9000 extension 0.  Additional scheduling 
and logistical information will be forwarded in separate 
communication. 
 
2. (U) Mission recommends that travel plans be amended so 
that Mellinger stays overnight in Ankara January 18 and 
departs for Istanbul January 19.  This will allow for an 
evening event in Ankara. 
 
3. (U) Visas:  All Americans traveling to Turkey must have a 
valid visa.  Travelers on tourist passports 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.  Travelers on diplomatic passports must 
obtain their visa prior to travel.  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 
WILSON