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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000974 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SCUL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S "EURO" VISION 
 
¶1.  Summary:  While European officials assess GOT efforts 
toward meeting the Copenhagen Criteria in advance of the EU 
Council's important December Summit, Turkey's de facto 
integration into the cultural life of Europe deepens. 
Turkey's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, 
along with the achievements of Turkish artists and athletes 
in European events, gives some indication that Turkey's place 
in Europe is solidly established independent of political 
institutions.  End Summary. 
 
Hosting Europe's "Uber-Kitsch" Event 
------------------------------------ 
¶2.  On May 15, an estimated 100 million viewers across Europe 
tuned in on Turkey as Istanbul hosted the 49th Eurovision 
Song Contest.  For the uninitiated, Eurovision is more than 
an "American Idol" talent show.  Thirty-six countries sent 
participants to the contest, and some 4.2 million televoters, 
many of whom paid for the right to vote, determined the 
winner.  It's a classic yearly event that combines neighborly 
love with flag-waving patriotism, and inspires viewing 
parties in homes across Europe, much like Oscars night in the 
United States.  (Note:  The show has launched the careers of 
such stars as the group ABBA and Celine Dion.  End note.) 
 
¶3.  Sertab, Turkey's representative in the 2003 contest, won 
the event last year, thus bestowing the honor of hosting this 
year upon her home city.  Turkey's newspaper headlines all 
but hailed her victory last year as tantamount to entry into 
the EU itself:  "She conquered Europe," proclaimed Milliyet. 
This year's Turkish entry, a ska group called Athena, placed 
a respectable fourth (right between #3 Greece and #5 Cyprus), 
but, more importantly, the event went off smoothly, and 
organizers put on an impressive show for all of Europe to 
watch.  The show was hosted in perfect French and English, 
and spectators in the 10,500 seat arena, sold out months in 
advance, waved Greek, Turkish, FYROM, and Cypriot flags 
almost side by side. 
 
Arts: Popstars and Prizes for Literature, Film 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶4.  Eurovision is just one of many examples of Turkey's de 
facto integration into European cultural life.  Turkey's 
first international popstar, Tarkan, who has already achieved 
commercial success in several European countries, released 
his fourth album last year and launched a European concert 
tour.  Istanbul-born author Orhan Pamuk is known throughout 
Europe.  His recent novel "My Name is Red" won the 
International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 2003; this award 
was the latest in a series of European honors dating back to 
his 1991 Prix de la Decouverte Europeenne for the French 
translation of his second novel, "Sessiz_Ev" ("The Quiet 
House"). 
 
¶5.  At the Cannes Film Festival in 2003, Turkish artists 
Muzaffer Ozdemir and Emin Toprak won the Best Actor awards, 
and director Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Grand Prize of the 
Jury, for the film "Uzak."  The same film was named FIPRESCI 
Film of the Year at the San Sebastian International Film 
festival.  (Additionally, Turkish-German director Fatih Akin 
won the Golden Bear for best film honors at the Berlin 
International Film Festival last year for "Gegen die Wand 
(Head on)," a film about second-generation Turks in Germany.) 
 
Sports: Turkish Football, the Golden Girl, and the Sultans of 
the Net 
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¶5.  The situation is similar in the sports world.  Turkish 
soccer teams are invariably in the thick of the action, as 
they were in the 2003-2004 UEFA Champions League tournament 
when Istanbul club Besiktas met Chelsea and Istanbul rival 
Galatasaray (the 2000 UEFA Champion) took on Juventas. 
(Note:  Turks were miffed, however, when the games they were 
due to host last year were moved to alternate venues after 
the November Istanbul bombings.  Turks were later quick to 
note that similar changes in venue did not happen after the 
March bombings in Madrid.  Indeed, to highlight the point, 
Turkish teams emphasized their readiness to carry through 
with planned matches in Spain in the bombing's aftermath. 
End note.)  Turkish and second-generation Turkish soccer 
stars also feature on a number of top European clubs. 
Although the Turkish national team failed to qualify for EURO 
2004, it is still basking in its third-place World Cup 2002 
finish. 
 
¶6.  Turkey's female athletes often dominate the local sports 
headlines as well.  Elvan Abeylegesse, formerly of Ethiopia 
but now running for Turkey, broke a world record in the 
women's 5000-meter event at the Bergen Golden League meeting 
in Norway on June 11.  Track and field star "Golden Girl" 
Sureyya Ayhan has been a darling of the European media for 
several years running.  She won the silver medal in last 
fall's 1500 meters final at the 9th World Athletic 
Championship in Saint Denis, France, and shortly thereafter 
set a world record in Belgium's Van Damme Golden League 
Tournament.  Turks also took great pride in this year's 
second-place European finish of the "Sultans of the Net," the 
national Women's Volleyball Team, and the victory of one of 
its club teams in the European Women's Volleyball 
Championship. 
 
¶7.   In sum, European public opinion may be skeptical about 
the politics of GOT joining the European Union, but civil 
society has shown that sharing space with Turkey in the 
cultural realm is as natural as can be. 
ARNETT