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Viewing cable 06ANKARA2383, COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CODEL PENCE + 8 TO

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06ANKARA2383 2006-05-02 06:11 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Ankara
VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #2383/01 1220611
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020611Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5195
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 0806
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 0045
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS IMMEDIATE 7148
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0608
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT IMMEDIATE 3613
UNCLAS ANKARA 002383 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AFIN AMGT ASEC GM GR IZ JO OREP TU
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR CODEL PENCE + 8 TO 
TRAVEL TO TURKEY MAY 7 - 8, 2006 
 
REF: SECSTATE 66587 
 
1.  Embassy Ankara welcomes and grants country clearance to 
the House International Relations Committee Congressional 
Delegation led by Rep. Mike Pence and including Rep. Mike 
Ferguson, Rep. Lincoln Davis, Rep. Jim Costa, Professional 
Staff Members Sam Stratman, Alan Makovsky and Hillel 
Weinberg, and Military Assistants Col. Michael Deyoung and 
Maj. Cameron O'Neil for travel to Turkey May 7 and 8.  The 
purpose of visit is to meet with Turkish political and 
military officials. Point of contact for the visit at Embassy 
Ankara is Deputy Political-Military Affairs Counselor, Maggie 
Nardi, who can be reached through the Embassy switchboard at 
90-312-455-5555. 
 
2.  Hotel reservations have been confirmed in Ankara at the 
Sheraton Hotel for the night of May 7.  Tel: 90-312-468-5454; 
fax:90-312-467-1138. Confirmation numbers are 576951973, 
586951973, 596951973, 616951973, 626951973, 636951973, 
656951973, 356951985, and 806951987. 
 
3.  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 
USD 30 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.  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: 1-877-394-8747; fax 1-800-CDC-FAXX, 
1-800-232-3299; or via the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov. 
 
5.  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. 
bases in Turkey have been public knowledge for some time. 
 
6. 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.  Mission Turkey is confident the TNP will continue 
their high level of responsiveness for U.S. facilities.  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 traditional 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://WWW.USCONSULATE-ISTANBUL.ORG.TR 
 
7.   For further information regarding travel in Turkey 
consult the Consular Information Sheet.  The Consular 
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) website: 
http://www.travel.state.gov/turkey.html 
 
--Turkish Daily News (English language Turkish newspaper): 
http://www.turkishdaily news.com 
 
 
--Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 
http://www.mfa.gov.tr 
 
--The Republic of Turkey home page: 
http://www.turkey/index.html 
 
--Weather for Turkey: 
http://www.wunderground.com/global/tu.html 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON