This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ANKARA 000254 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/IFD/OIA 
TREASURY FOR OASIA 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR 
FAS FOR ITP/PAUL SPENCER 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/DDEFALCO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EINV KTDB EFIN TU
SUBJECT:  2005 INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT FOR TURKEY 
 
Ref: STATE 250356 
 
This is the second of two cables transmitting the 2005 
Investment Climate Statement for Turkey: 
 
¶9.  EFFICIENT CAPITAL MARKETS AND PORTFOLIO INVESTMENT 
 
The government has taken a number of important steps in 
recent years to strengthen and better regulate the banking 
system, whose weaknesses had contributed to macroeconomic 
instability over the previous decade and played an important 
role in the 2000-2001 financial crisis. 
 
A 1999 banking law established an independent Banking and 
Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) to monitor and 
supervise Turkey's banks.  The BRSA, which began functioning 
in 2000, is headed by a board whose seven members are 
appointed by the cabinet for six-year terms.  The law's 
provision's also toughened conditions for establishing new 
banks or branches, set credit limits to protect bank 
solvency, and strengthen regulatory and sanctioning powers, 
including authorizing the board to merge weak banks with 
stronger ones. 
 
The law also created an independent deposit insurance 
agency, the State Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF).  Until 
2004, BRSA and SDIF had the same board and shared staff and 
offices, though they were separate legal entities.  Since 
the beginning of 2004, BRSA and SDIF's boards and staffing 
have been separated and SDIF's headquarters moved to 
Istanbul. 
 
During and after the 2000-2001 financial crisis, many 
Turkish banks became insolvent or undercapitalized, and 
SDIF, in coordination with BRSA, took over 21 financial 
institutions.  This includes Imar Bank, which was taken over 
on July 4, 2003.  The SDIF has recapitalized these banks, 
and has been selling or liquidating them, at the same time 
as it is negotiating repayment agreements from the banks' 
former owners covering these banks' portfolio of credits to 
affiliated companies.  The BRSA also has issued a regulation 
limiting the extent of connected lending (between a bank and 
related corporate entities) and requiring frequent BRSA on- 
site monitoring. 
 
In early 2005, the government is preparing a new banking law 
that helps to bring the bank regulatory framework in line 
with European Union norms.  Once enacted, the new law is 
expected to further tighten bank regulation, notably by 
broadening the range of expertise inspectors can draw on 
when conducting on-site inspections. 
 
Following the 2001 crisis, the government restructured state- 
owned banks, minimizing the scope for political 
interference, liquidating one of the banks, and slating 
these banks for eventual privatization.  However, the 
process of privatizing the three remaining state-owned banks 
has stalled. 
 
Because of high local borrowing costs and short repayment 
periods, both foreign and local firms frequently seek credit 
from international markets to finance their activities.  As 
of end-2004, there were 48 commercial banks (including 12 
foreign banks) and 14 development or investment banks 
operating in Turkey.  Total sectoral assets were 
approximately USD 184 billion, or about 70 percent of GNP, 
as of July 2004 according to data from the Banking 
Regulation and Supervision Board.  The three state-owned 
commercial banks and the top 4 privately-capitalized banks 
hold approximately 74 percent of total assets. 
 
There is a regulatory system established to encourage and 
facilitate portfolio investments, though it needs 
improvements in transparency, accounting, and enforcement 
provisions to bring it up to EU and U.S. standards.  The 
Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE), formed in 1986, is becoming a 
significant emerging market stock exchange.  As of January 
2005, 276 companies were listed on the exchange.  However, 
Turkey has yet to develop other capital markets.  The 
Capital Markets Board is responsible for overseeing the 
activities of capital markets, including activities of ISE- 
quoted companies, and securities and investment houses.  A 
new Capital Markets Law is under consideration. 
 
The Turkish private sector is dominated by a number of large 
holding companies, whose upper management is family- 
controlled.  Most large businesses continue to float 
publicly only a minority portion of company shares in order 
to limit outside interference in company management.  There 
has been no attempt at a hostile takeover by either 
international or domestic parties in recent memory. 
 
There are no laws or regulations that specifically authorize 
private firms to adopt articles of incorporation or 
association in order to limit or prohibit foreign 
investment, participation, or control.  Neither is there any 
attempt by the private sector or government to restrict 
foreign participation in industry standard-setting consortia 
or organizations. 
 
¶10.  POLITICAL VIOLENCE 
 
Terrorist bombings -- some with significant numbers of 
casualties -- over the past two years have struck religious, 
political, and business targets in a variety of locations in 
Turkey. The potential remains throughout Turkey for violence 
and terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests, 
both by transnational and indigenous terrorist 
organizations. 
In November 2003 the Al-Qa'ida network was responsible for 
four large suicide bombings in Istanbul that, among other 
targets, hit western interests.  Indigenous terrorist groups 
also continue to target Turkish as well as U.S. and Western 
interests.  In June 2004 the indigenous terrorist group 
PKK/KADEK/KONGRA GEL announced an end to their "unilateral 
ceasefire."  Since the announcement, there have been 
repeated attacks against Turkish targets in the southeast 
region of Turkey, where the group has traditionally 
concentrated its activities.  In addition, there have been 
bombings and other incidents in Istanbul, Bodrum, Antalya, 
and Mersin.  Other terrorist groups, including the Turkish 
group Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front 
(DHKP/C), continue to target Turkish officials and various 
civilian facilities and may use terrorist activity to make 
political statements.  In 2002, 2003, and 2004, civilian 
venues such as courthouses and fast food restaurants were 
the targets of minor bomb attacks, which have resulted in 
small numbers of casualties among bystanders. Similar, 
random bombings are likely to continue in unpredictable 
locations.  Americans traveling to Southeastern Turkey, the 
site of PKK/KADEK/KONGRA GEL actions, should exercise 
caution. 
 
Although the Turkish government takes air safety seriously 
and maintains strict controls, particularly on international 
flights, hijacking attempts have occurred as recently as 
¶2003.  For the latest security information on Turkey and 
throughout the world, travelers should monitor the State 
Department web site http://travel.state.gov, where the 
current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel 
Warnings, and Public Announcements can be found. 
 
¶11.  CORRUPTION 
 
CORRUPTION IS PERCEIVED TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN 
TURKEY BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, 
PARTICULARLY IN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT.    AMERICAN 
COMPANIES OPERATING IN TURKEY HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT 
BEING SOLICITED, WITH VARYING DEGREES OF PRESSURE, BY 
MUNICIPAL OR LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR "CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
THE COMMUNITY".  PARLIAMENT CONTINUES TO PROBE 
CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING SENIOR OFFICIALS IN 
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN CONNECTION WITH 
ENERGY PROJECTS.  IN 2003, AFTER THE GOVERNMENT 
INTERVENED IN A BANK OWNED BY THE UZAN GROUP, 
EVIDENCE OF CORRUPT PRACTICES AT THE BANK EMERGED. 
Recent public procurement reforms were designed to make 
procurement more transparent and less susceptible to 
political interference, including through the establishment 
of an independent public procurement board with the power to 
void contracts.  The judicial system is also perceived to be 
susceptible to external influence and to be biased against 
outsiders to some degree. 
 
Turkish legislation outlaws bribery and some prosecutions of 
government officials for corruption have taken place, but 
enforcement is uneven.  Turkey ratified the OECD Convention 
on Combating Bribery of Public Officials, and passed 
implementing legislation in January 2003 to provide that 
bribes of foreign officials, as well as domestic, are 
illegal and not tax deductible.  In 2003, Turkey signed the 
UN Convention Against Corruption. 
The Prime Ministry's Inspection Board, which advises a new 
Corruption Investigations Committee, is responsible for 
investigating major corruption cases.  Nearly every state 
agency has its own inspector corps responsible for 
investigating internal corruption.  The National Assembly 
can establish investigative commissions to examine 
corruption allegations concerning Cabinet Ministers for the 
Prime Minister; a majority vote in the parliament is needed 
to send these cases to the Supreme Court for further action. 
 
Transparency International has an affiliated NGO in 
Istanbul. 
 
¶12.  BILATERAL INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS 
 
Since 1985, Turkey has been negotiating and signing 
agreements for the reciprocal promotion and protection of 
investments.  Turkey has signed or initiated negotiations on 
bilateral investment treaties with 69 countries.  Fifty-two 
of these agreements are now in force, including with the 
United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, 
Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, 
Spain, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Romania, 
Tunisia, Kuwait, Bangladesh, China, Japan, South Korea, 
Indonesia, Croatia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Estonia, 
Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, 
Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, 
Slovakia, Macedonia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, 
Kyrgyzstan, Albania, Bulgaria, Argentina, Bosnia, Malaysia, 
Egypt, Mongolia, Greece and Israel. 
 
Turkey's bilateral investment treaty with the United States 
came into effect on May 18, 1990.  A bilateral tax treaty 
between the two countries took effect on January 1, 1998. 
Turkey has signed avoidance of double taxation agreements 
with 59 countries; 39 of these are in force. 
 
¶13.  OPIC AND OTHER INVESTMENT INSURANCE PROGRAMS 
 
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) offers a 
full range of programs in Turkey, including political risk 
insurance for U.S. investors, under its bilateral agreement 
with Turkey.  OPIC is also active in financing private 
investment projects implemented by U.S. investors in Turkey. 
OPIC-supported direct equity funds, including the USD 200 
million Soros Private Equity Fund can make direct equity 
investments in private sector projects in Turkey.  Small- 
and medium-sized U.S. investors in Turkey are also eligible 
to utilize the new Small Business Center facility at OPIC, 
offering OPIC finance and insurance support on an expedited 
basis for loans from USD 100,000 to USD 10 million.  In 
1987, Turkey became a member of the Multinational Investment 
Guarantee Agency (MIGA). 
 
The U.S. Government annually purchases approximately USD 24 
million of local currency.  Embassy purchases are made at 
prevailing market rates, which fluctuate in accordance with 
Turkey's free floating exchange rate regime. 
 
¶14. LABOR 
 
The Turkish labor force numbers 25.3 million (22.9 million 
employed and 2.4 million unemployed); 35.9 percent of the 
workforce is in agriculture.  The official unemployment rate 
was 9.5 in the third quarter of 2004. 
 
Students are required to complete eight years of schooling 
and to remain in school until they are 15 years old.  Turkey 
has an abundance of unskilled and semi-skilled labor. 
However, there is a shortage of qualified workers for highly 
automated high-tech industries.  Individual high-tech firms, 
both local and foreign-owned, have generally conducted their 
own training programs for such job categories.  Vocational 
training schools for some commercial and industrial skills 
exist in Turkey at the high school level.  Apprenticeship 
programs, both formal and informal, remain in place, 
although they are dying out in some traditional occupations. 
Turkey's labor force has a reputation for being hardworking, 
productive and dependable. 
 
Labor-management relations have been generally good in 
recent years.  Employers are obliged by law to negotiate in 
good faith with unions that have been certified as 
bargaining agents.  Strikes are usually of short duration 
and almost always peaceful.  Since 1980 Turkey has faced 
criticism by the ILO, particularly for shortcomings in 
enforcement of ILO Convention 87 (Convention concerning 
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to 
Organize) and Convention 98 (Convention concerning the 
Application of the Principles of the Right to Organize and 
to Bargain Collectively). 
 
IN 2002, PARLIAMENT APPROVED A JOB SECURITY BILL, PROVIDING 
BASIC JOB SECURITY FOR WORKERS AND REQUIRING A VALID REASON 
FOR THE TERMINATION OF THE LABOR CONTRACT AT THE INITIATIVE 
OF THE EMPLOYER. THE LAW CAME INTO EFFECT ON 15 MARCH 2003. 
IN 2003, THE LABOR LAW OF 1971 (NO.1475) WAS REPLACED BY A 
NEW LABOR LAW (NO.4857), WHICH PROVIDED EMPLOYERS WITH 
GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN THE ORGANIZATION OF WORK AND WEAKENED 
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THE JOB SECURITY PROVIDED BY THE 2002 
LAW. 
 
In 1995 and 2001, constitutional amendments reduced 
restrictions on freedom of association and political 
activity of trade unions.  However, the restrictions on the 
right to strike under Article 54 of the Constitution were 
preserved intact.  Under the Law on Collective Labor 
Agreements, Strikes and Lockouts, some restrictions on the 
right to strike were repealed in 1988.  Civil servants 
(defined broadly as all employees of central government 
ministries, including teachers) are allowed to form trade 
unions and to engage in limited collective negotiations, but 
are prohibited from striking. 
 
¶15.  FOREIGN TRADE ZONES/FREE PORTS 
 
Firms operating in Turkey's free zones have historically 
enjoyed many advantages, but these will be limited in the 
future by recent legislation.  Twenty-one zones have been 
established since passage of the Turkish law on free zones 
in 1985.  The zones are open to a wide range of activities, 
including manufacturing, storage, packaging, trading, 
banking, and insurance.  Foreign products enter and leave 
the free zones without payment of any customs or duties. 
Income generated in the zones is exempt from corporate and 
individual income taxation and from the value-added tax, but 
firms are required to make social security contributions for 
their employees.  Additionally, standardization regulations 
in Turkey do not apply to the activities in the free zones, 
unless the products are imported into Turkey.  Sales to the 
Turkish domestic market are allowed, with goods and revenues 
transported from the zones into Turkey subject to all 
relevant import regulations.  There are no restrictions on 
foreign firms operations in the free zones.  Indeed, the 
operator of one of Turkey's most successful free zones 
located in Izmir is an American firm. 
 
Law 5084 revised the free zones law to effectively eliminate 
certain income and corporate tax immunities for the zones. 
Under the new rules, taxpayers who possessed an operating 
license as of February 6, 2004 will not have to pay income 
or corporate tax on their earnings in the zone for the 
duration of their license.  Earnings based on sale of goods 
manufacturing in a zone will be exempt from income and 
corporate tax until the end of the year in which Turkey 
becomes a member of the European Union.  Earnings secured in 
a free zone under corporate tax immunity and paid as 
dividends to real person shareholders in Turkey or to real 
person or legal-entity shareholders abroad will be subject 
to 10 percent withholding tax.  The tax immunity of the wage 
and salary income earned by persons employed in the zones by 
taxpayers possessing an operating license as of February 6, 
2004 will remain in effect until December 31, 2008, or the 
expiration date of the operating license, whichever is 
earlier.  The implications of the new rules are complex, and 
interested parties may want to consult with a tax advisor 
and/or the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat (web site: 
www.dtm.gov.tr). 
 
¶16.  FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT STATISTICS 
With the foreign investment permit requirement in place 
until 2003, the Turkish Treasury collected detailed sectoral 
and country of origin data for authorized FDI.  Data 
collected since the abolition of the permit requirement, by 
the Central Bank and other entities, may not be directly 
comparable to data collected prior to 2003. 
 
According to Turkish Treasury data, as of June 2003, there 
are 6,511 foreign firms invested and are operating in 
Turkey.  The Turkish government has provided permits for 
foreign capital since 1980 amounting to USD 35.2 billion, 
and aggregate actual inflows reached USD 16.4 billion.  In 
2003, EU countries accounted for 74.3 percent of authorized 
new foreign investment, OECD countries accounted for 93.7 
percent, and Islamic countries for 3.7 percent.  Over the 
past two decades, France (16.4 percent) has been the top 
source of foreign investment, followed by the Netherlands 
(15.8 percent), Germany (13.0 percent) and the U.S. (11.5 
percent)  (Note that these figures are based on the amount 
of authorized investment, not on actual capital inflows.) 
Because of the absence of a bilateral tax treaty until 1998, 
much U.S.-origin capital was invested in Turkey through 
third-country subsidiaries.  According to U.S. Commerce 
Department data, U.S. company investment amounted to about 
USD 2 billion in 2003.  By unofficial estimates, the U.S. 
may be one of the largest sources of foreign investment in 
Turkey. 
 
In 2003, about 58.9 percent of authorized foreign investment 
took place in manufacturing, 30.23 percent in services, 10.3 
percent in mining and 0.6 percent in agriculture.  The sub- 
sectors with the greatest amount of authorized foreign 
investment include banking (10.6 percent); communications 
(9.4 percent); food, beverage and tobacco processing (8.0 
percent); and trade (6.5 percent).  Between 1980 and June 
2003, 53.0 percent of actual capital inflows were invested 
in manufacturing,  44.0 percent in services, 1.8 percent in 
agriculture, and 1.2 percent in mining.  The finance and 
communications sectors received the highest share of 
increased foreign direct investment permits in 2003. 
 
FDI Inflow by Years (million USD) 
 
Year           Actual    Inflow/GDP      No firms 
                Inflow                   (Cumulative) 
1980-1988      1,172 
1989             663        0.80           1,525 
1990             684        0.67           1,856 
1991             907        0.69           2,123 
1992             911        0.78           2,330 
1993             746        0.56           2,554 
1994             636        0.64           2,830 
1995             934        0.66           3,163 
1996             914        0.53           3,582 
1997             852        0.54           4,068 
1998             953        0.49           4,533 
1999             813        0.41           4,950 
2000           1,707        0.85           5,328 
2001           3,288        2.21           5,841 
2002           1,042        0.48           6,280 
2003           1,702        0.71           6,511 
2004(*)        2,216             1.02            N/A 
 
TOTAL          20,140                      6,511 
 
Source: Central Bank of Turkey, State Institute of 
Statistics, 
(*)January through November 2004. 
(**) Includes capital inflows, foreign loans and real estate 
investment. 
 
FDI Inflow by Source Country (1999-2002/ million USD) 
 
Country        Cumulative Value    Share (percent) 
 
Italy               1,968               30.9 
Netherlands           962               15.1 
U.S.A.                793               12.4 
United Kingdom        647               10.1 
Germany               514                8.1 
Bahrain               323                5.1 
Japan                 267                4.2 
France                263                4.1 
Switzerland           104                1.6 
Belgium-Luxemburg      25                0.4 
Spain                  23                0.4 
Others                488                7.7 
Total               6,377              100.0 
 
Source:  Turkish Treasury Undersecretariat, General 
Directorate of Foreign Investment.  Updated information has 
not been issued for the period following 2002. 
Sectoral Breakdown of FDI Permits (1980-2003*/ million USD) 
Sector         Cumulative Value    Share (percent) 
 
Manufacturing       18,641           53.0 
Services            15,453           44.0 
Agriculture            616            1.8 
Mining                 442            1.2 
 
Total               35,152           100.0 
 
Source: General Directorate of Foreign Capital 
(*) as of June 2003 
 
 
Main Manufacturing Industry Sub-Sectors Receiving FDI 
Permits 
 
Industry Sub-Sector        Share in Manufacturing 
                                   Industry (percent)* 
 
Chemical Products                    18.3 
Food                                 14.7 
Transport Equipment                  12.3 
Electrical Machinery                  5.8 
Garment Industry                      3.9 
Iron and Steel                        3.4 
 
Source: General Directorate of Foreign Capital 
(*) as of June 2003 
 
Turkey's External Investment by Country (As of December 
2004) 
 
Country              Amount       Share 
                 (USD millions) 
Netherlands         2,248.8       34.8 
Azerbaijan          1,043.6       16.1 
United Kingdom        524.2        8.1 
Germany               472.1        7.2 
Kazakhstan                 434.5        6.7 
Luxembourg            248.7        3.9 
United States         179.8        2.8 
Russia                159.7        2.5 
France                 93.4        1.4 
Switzerland            84.9        1.3 
Others                976.5       15.1 
 
Total               6,466.2       100.0 
 
Source: General Directorate of Banking and Foreign Exchange, 
Treasury 
 
Major foreign investors 
 
Turkey's foreign investors include Telecom Italia, Renault, 
Toyota, Fiat, Castrol, Enron Power, Citibank, Pirelli Tire, 
Unilever, RJR Nabisco, Philip Morris, United Defense, Honda, 
Hyundai, Bosch, Siemens, DaimlerChrysler, Chase Manhattan, 
AEG, Bridgestone-Firestone, Cargill, Novartis, Coca Cola, 
Colgate-Palmolive, General Electric, ITT, Ford Motor Co., 
Lockheed Martin, Goodyear, Aventis, McDonald's, Nestle, 
Mobil, Pepsi, Pfizer, Procter and Gamble, InterGen, Abbot 
Laboratories, Aria, Bechtel, Shell, Delphi-Packard, 
Toreador/Madison Oil, AES, GE, NRG, Normandy Mining, Marsa- 
Kraft-Jacobs Suchard, ESBAS A.S., Archer Daniels Midland, 
Merck, Sharp Dohme, Bunge, and Bausch and Lomb. 
Edelman