VZCZCXRO6858
PP RUEHAG RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVI #0940 0891056
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301056Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2917
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS VIENNA 000940 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR, EUR/AGS, EUR/SE, EUR/ERA, AND INR/EU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL TU EUN AU
SUBJECT: TURKISH LOBBYING EFFORTS IN AUSTRIA HAVE MINIMAL 
EFFECT (C-TN6-00006) 
 
REF: STATE 28116 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified. 
 
¶1. (SBU) As requested in reftel, Post has researched Turkish 
lobbying campaigns in Austria aimed at improving Turkey's 
image in the EU.  We found little evidence of any lobbying 
campaigns with enough profile to move public opinion 
significantly -- especially when compared to the virulently 
anti-Turkey petition campaign recently conducted by the 
Freedom Party of Austria (FPO).  We base this assessment on a 
review of Austrian press over the last several months, direct 
observations of Embassy public affairs and political 
sections, and a conversation with the leader of the 
Austrian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce. 
 
¶2. (SBU) An analysis of press reporting turned up little 
concrete evidence of any targeted Turkish lobbying efforts, 
aside from normal Turkish government contacts with Austrian 
counterparts.  In particular, we have found only limited 
activity by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's 
Association (TUSIAD), most of which would fall into the 
category of ordinary commercial promotion.  TUSIAD leaders 
were in Vienna on January 21 to meet with Foreign Minister 
Ursula Plassnik and Parliamentary President Andreas Khol. 
TUSIAD representatives also participated in a working lunch 
hosted by the Austrian Federation of Industrialists. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On March 29, Embassy officers met with Ali Yavuz 
Kuscu, president of the Austrian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce. 
 Kuscu explained, in depth, his organization's efforts to 
build Austrian-Turkish commercial, political and cultural 
ties, which include sponsoring conferences, speeches, and 
lobbying of government officials.  He said that he had seen 
little organized effort from groups based in Turkey, however 
-- and knew nothing of anything organized by TUSIAD. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: The apparent lack of tangible results of 
Turkish lobbying does not definitively show that such efforts 
do not exist.  It does indicate, however, that (at least in 
Austria) Turkish lobbying efforts have yet to gain traction 
and certainly face an uphill struggle against widespread 
public opposition to Turkish EU accession. 
McCaw