Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 03ISTANBUL1348, DEEDS FOR SALE! GET YOUR PROPERTY DEEDS RIGHT HERE!

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #03ISTANBUL1348.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
03ISTANBUL1348 2003-09-15 05:11 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Istanbul
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ISTANBUL 001348 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON TK
SUBJECT: DEEDS FOR SALE! GET YOUR PROPERTY DEEDS RIGHT HERE! 
 
 
REF: ISTANBUL 1039 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: A property amnesty currently being planned 
by the Justice and Development (AK) Party government has set 
off a flurry of debate and criticism in Istanbul.  AK sees 
the measure as a potential major source of revenue, a 
realistic solution to a long-ignored problem (i.e., "illegal" 
settlements and the political and social limbo squatters live 
under), and a popular pre-local election vote-getter in the 
poor and disenfranchised voter base of Istanbul's crowded 
urban sprawl.  Opponents in Istanbul charge, however, that 
what they dismiss as a populist measure will undermine what 
they allege are existing sensible land-use, environmental, 
and disaster-mitigation policies and encourage illegal 
land-grabs and construction.  End Summary. 
 
 
2. (U) Having wiped out the detailed Ottoman land registry 
system, the Republic of Turkey has never carried out a 
systematic survey or introduced a new and complete land 
registry system.  Nor has the Turkish state controlled the 
use of state-owned lands or enforced zoning laws.  With this 
lack of control, and under succeeding national and local 
governments of all political stripes -- including CHP -- 
squatter communities, including some of the most stable 
neighborhoods in Turkey's largest cities, have mushroomed 
since the 1960's, with periodic commitments by local 
governments to supply utilities and paved roads on a catch-up 
basis.  The provision of utilities in turn has spurred 
developers to offer squatters free apartments in return for 
letting them consolidate squatter plots and build apartment 
blocks. 
 
 
3. (SBU) In this context, the Justice and Development (AK) 
Party government is planning a property amnesty as a means to 
generate revenue and regularize the quasi-legal resident 
status of hundreds of thousands of migrants to Turkey's major 
cities.  The impact of such an amnesty would be felt 
particularly in Istanbul where approximately 700,000 
buildings, or 60-65 percent of the total, are believed to be 
illegally constructed (i.e., without proper building 
permits), with many of them built on state lands (i.e., 
without deeds).  In addition to new laws and regulations, a 
comprehensive amnesty will require a constitutional amendment 
(which could eventually go to a national referendum) to 
enable the government to reclassify some "forest lands" which 
have long been built on or used as agricultural land. (Note: 
Currently the proposal would cover only lands which had been 
converted by 1981, but it is unclear how all such 
determinations could be accurately documented.  End Note.) 
 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Property Amnesties = Votes and Cheap Labor 
------------------------------------------ 
4. (SBU) The history of property amnesties in Turkey has 
paralleled (and, some believe, contributed to) the massive 
waves of rural-to-urban migration over the last five decades. 
 Since the first amnesty in 1949, there have been six more 
culminating in the most recent one in 1986.  In the early 
years, the unavailability and/or inaffordability of proper 
housing forced newly-arrived migrants to construct their own 
"gecekondu," or squatter residences, recreating their village 
lifestyle in the greater Istanbul region.  Although built on 
state property and without the requisite building permits, 
both industry and politicians benefited, tapping the 
settlements for cheap labor and votes.  As such, the early 
amnesties that allowed gecekondu owners to "purchase" permits 
and legal titles to their property were win-win propositions 
for the politicians: they were popular vote-getters that also 
generated extra revenue for the government coffers. 
 
 
5. (SBU) In the 1980s and 1990s, Istanbul grew to become 
Europe's most populous city and was increasingly unable to 
absorb and manage the massive population influx, reaching as 
high as 500,000 migrants each year.  With time, the clear-cut 
populist equation of property amnesties became murkier.  Land 
speculators and corner-cutting contractors built sub-standard 
multi-story apartment buildings to rent out to poorer 
families, making money on the ever-increasing demand for 
housing and gambling on the expectation that future 
governments would legalize their properties.  More and more 
people objected to new amnesties as "unfair" (i.e., they 
provided legal cover to law-breakers) and municipal 
authorities in more affluent areas became increasingly 
frustrated with the negative effect they had on their 
attempts to conduct sensible urban planning and management. 
Amnesties aside, however, politicians and bureaucrats 
continued to profit from the fresh supply of potential voters 
and the endemic corruption involved in turning a blind eye to 
new, illegal properties. 
 
 
------------ 
AK's Amnesty 
------------ 
6. (SBU) A chronic lack of comprehensive urban land-use 
planning in the last several decades has left the current AK 
government with an untenable situation in which hundreds of 
thousands of city-dwellers live in quasi-legal or illegal 
residences.  Thousands of acres of so-called "forest lands" 
in and around the cities have long been cleared and developed 
to accommodate rural migrants or wealthy city apartment 
dwellers in search of homes with gardens.  Even the 
opposition CHP party campaigned last year with a pledge to 
transfer such lands to the current residents.  AKP, however, 
has emphasized the revenue-generating potential of a new 
property amnesty.  In discussing the issue, Prime Minister 
Erdogan has made repeated references to expected revenues, a 
figure that some government officials put as high as USD 25 
billion.  Some we have talked to, however, note that 
amnesties never generate the revenue anticipated and have 
labeled the latest proposal as merely another in a long 
series of amnesties that will reward supporters and win 
votes: 
 
 
-- Eyup Muhcu, Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of 
Architects, railed against the proposed amnesty, calling it a 
blatant attempt to make money and win votes that violates 
most people's "sense of justice," encourages more illegal 
construction, and complicates efforts to prepare for a major 
earthquake (reftel). 
 
 
-- Selami Ozturk, the Republican People's Party (CHP) Mayor 
of Kadikoy (where approximately 1 million Istanbul residents 
live), told poloff that a new amnesty would make it "nearly 
impossible" for him to provide municipal services to 
gecekondu neighborhoods that developed without any urban 
planning or oversight.  Moreover, pointing to detailed 
neighborhood maps overlaid with the 2002 voting results, 
Ozturk noted how the amnesty would primarily benefit those 
neighborhoods that had voted heavily for the AK Party. 
 
 
-- While careful not to directly criticize the AK 
government's policies, Irfan Uzun, Head of the Planning and 
Property for the Istanbul Greater Municipality, told poloff 
that city land-use plans would be undermined if completely 
illegal buildings without deeds or permits are provided 
amnesty.  Uzun worried aloud that the city may have to "buy 
back" deeds awarded during an amnesty in order to expropriate 
and destroy properties that conflict with city infrastructure 
projects. 
 
 
7. (SBU) The proposed amnesty has its share of supporters: 
 
 
-- AKP founding member and independent businessman Cuneyt 
Zapsu defended the amnesty as sensible economic policy, 
arguing that the government must acknowledge the irreversible 
fact that many of these "forest lands" can not be restored 
and that thousands of illegal settlements can not be 
destroyed.  By legalizing these properties and "bringing them 
into the system," the amnesty will not only generate revenue, 
but will also change now untransferrable assets into 
convertible ones, benefiting the economy as a whole. 
 
 
-- Yahya Karakaya, the Saadet Party mayor of Sultanbeyli 
listed the lack of legal property deeds as one of his 
district's major problems, arguing that even the residents of 
his poor district would be willing to purchase building 
permits and deeds to escape the constant threat of eviction. 
(Note: Approximately 75 percent of the buildings in 
Sultanbeyli lack permits and 25 percent are built on state 
lands and lack deeds.  End Note.) 
 
 
8. (SBU) Even opponents of a new amnesty conceded that 
certain strict conditions could theoretically minimize the 
negative effects of an amnesty: mandating basic building 
codes and safety standards, authorizing municipal authorities 
to retrofit neighborhoods for services, limiting the amnesty 
to owner/residents, and ensuring that this be the "final" 
amnesty.  Uzun from the Istanbul Greater Municipality claimed 
that most of the buildings without permits have only minor 
problems, but that an amnesty that allowed the city to 
examine and reissue permits to buildings with minor 
construction problems would actually be beneficial. 
 
 
----------------------------- 
Forest Lands and Forest Fires 
----------------------------- 
9. (SBU) Perhaps the most controversial part of the amnesty 
plan relates to a proposed constitutional amendment to 
reclassify a portion of the country's designated "forest 
lands" (those which lost their forest nature by 1981) to 
enable the government to sell off properties that have long 
since been illegally cleared and settled.  Although the first 
effort to pass such an amendment was vetoed by President 
Sezer earlier this year, the government is determined to push 
forward, even if it means risking the chance that the 
President will submit it to a national referendum (Note: The 
President has the authority to veto such bills only once.)  A 
rash of summer forest fires this year (summer forest fires 
have been a problem for at least a decade but the press 
reports a large increase last year) may be an indication that 
some unscrupulous speculators hoping to profit from newly 
"cleared" land expect the amendment and a broad amnesty to 
pass.  (Note: They would need to produce fake documentation 
to show that the lands had been deforested long before, or 
perhaps they see the proposed amnesty as the first in a new 
series of such amnesties.  End Note.) 
 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
9. (SBU) AK is motivated by an understanding that 
regularizing the status of people who now live in fear of 
constant eviction will win them votes and by wishful thinking 
that an amnesty will bring in substantial revenue.  Seeking 
to balance popular measures with the dictates of an IMF 
package, the government desperately needs the increased 
flexibility that any extra fiscal revenue will provide. 
This, combined with the fact that AK would benefit directly 
at the ballot box from a property amnesty, gives the 
government a powerful incentive to press forward with this 
proposal. 
 
 
10. (SBU) The impact on Istanbul from an urban planning 
perspective will likely be negative.  An amnesty without 
strict conditions (and past experience and realistic 
expectations suggest that such conditions are unlikely to be 
adopted) will complicate the city's efforts to prepare for an 
earthquake, provide municipal services, and plan for 
sustainable growth. 
 
 
11. (SBU) Although many in Istanbul are uninterested, or at 
least ambivalent, about the idea of a property amnesty, they 
would likely be more decisive if the "forest land" issue 
comes to a referendum.  Unaware of or despairing over the 
extent of deforestation in Istanbul, large numbers of voters 
living in the heart of the long built-up urban area would 
probably turn out in opposition, thereby setting the stage 
for a divisive vote that government critics will bill as a 
referendum on the AK government's overall performance. 
ARNETT