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

150609Z Mar 06

UNCLAS ADANA 000049 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON TU ADANA
SUBJECT: TURKEY: AMBASSADOR WILSON VISITS GAZIANTEP AND ADANA IN SE 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) During a March 5-8 trip to Gaziantep and Adana, 
Ambassador Wilson met with local government leaders, business 
groups, academics, journalists, civic leaders, as well as U.S. 
Air Force personnel at Incirilik Air Base.  He also participated 
in numerous outreach activities, including a visit to 
Gaziantep's Zeugma Museum, where he met with students from the 
SANKO School, and to the Gaziantep American Hospital, where he 
announced a USAID ASHA program grant to the hospital.  In Adana, 
AMB Wilson had opportunities to explain U.S. policy at a press 
availability with reporters, as well as during a taped interview 
for Cukurova TV and in a speech before the Adana branch of the 
Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEIK in Turkish).  The AMB 
also toured Adana's Sabanci Central Mosque and the 
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline Terminal in Ceyhan. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Chairman of the American Business Forum in Turkey Halim 
Neyzi, and Vice Chairman of the Turkish-American Business 
Association Erdal Kamisli traveled with the Ambassador and 
accompanied him to his meetings with government and business 
leaders.  Regional business leaders all expressed an interest in 
broadening trade with the U.S., sought U.S. investment in the 
region and hoped that U.S.-Turkish joint efforts could 
capitalize on Iraq and other regional business opportunities. 
The Gaziantep Chamber of Industry sought U.S. participation in a 
major June trade fair focused on Iraq as well.  Gaziantep 
business leaders also called for the U.S. to grant Turkey a 
qualified industrial zone (QIZ) which at least would include 
textiles if not other commodities. 
 
¶3. (SBU) During dinner conversation at the Adana Principal 
Officer's residence, local business, academic and media 
intellectuals told the AMB about their concerns regarding the 
economic and social impact of (mostly Kurdish) migration into 
Adana from other parts of Turkey.  This topic came up in many of 
the AMB's conversations during his trip, but most prominently in 
Adana.  The dinner intellectuals were further concerned about 
the current state of affairs in Iran and Iraq, and about the 
impact of U.S. policy on this part of Turkey.  The intellectuals 
also expressed concern about the image problem the United States 
has among Turks, and the growing mistrust which they perceive 
between Americans and Muslim people around the world. 
 
REID