VZCZCXYZ0015
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #3124 1501211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301211Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6051
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0626

UNCLAS ANKARA 003124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/PE/V/R/E: DDOUGLAS; ECA/PE/V/F/E: ECONNOLLY; 
EUR/PPD: CTEAL 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL TU
SUBJECT: EVALUATION: Voluntary Visitor Project for the 
Diyarbakir Municipality 
 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY:  In line with the travel of 
Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir and three members of his 
staff to the US for a conference and consultations with the 
UNDP, the voluntary visitor office organized a project on 
migrant issues and diversity in municipal administration. 
The objectives of the two-day visit to Nashville were to 
learn about municipal administration in the U.S. and to 
explore the possibility of establishing sister city ties. 
In Nashville the visitors examined the City's experience 
with the integration of minority and refugee communities. 
 
DATE, FISCAL YEAR, AND QUARTER:  February 14 - 15, 2006; FY 
2006; Second Quarter 
 
JUSTIFICATION AND MPP OBJECTIVE:  In the words of the 
current Prime Minister, "Turkey's road to the EU runs 
through Diyarbakir."  The southeastern region is a major 
focus of Post's effort to bolster civic consciousness and 
human rights.  As decentralization continues, mayors of 
regional centers like Diyarbakir will be given more 
authority to reach out to their constituents and deal with 
their local needs.  In the case of Diyarbakir, this means 
integration of Turkish and Kurdish communities and dealing 
with migrant/refugee communities.  These officials often 
lack formal training, experience, or context to deal with 
these multifaceted issues.  The mayor's office reached out 
to Consulate Adana for assistance with setting up a sister 
city relationship and also to gain perspectives on the US 
administrative model.  The Governor of Diyarbakir 
participated in an IVLP program in February 2006 - 
capitalizing on the Mayor's presence in the US doubled the 
impact of this program. 
 
RESULTS/IMPACT:  Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir found the 
party's trip to Nashville "excellently organized" and highly 
informative.  He greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet 
with the Mayor of Nashville and members of the City Council, 
calling their discussion "intimate and important".  The 
group discussed various strategies they had used in 
attracting investment to their cities.  Baydemir said he 
would use some of these strategies to "realize Diyarbakir's 
full potential" in the future.  The group also discussed 
separation of powers between the city, state, and federal 
level.  Baydemir was impressed by the freedom local 
administrators had to pursue their own goals and interests. 
 
A sister city relationship was also discussed, Baydemir 
invited Nashville officials to Diyarbakir and remarked that 
"talks are ongoing" about the establishment of a formal 
sister city relationship. 
 
Visits to local schools and police stations were eye opening 
for the group.  Baydemir was in particular interested in the 
idea of integrating migrants through education, which he saw 
firsthand through the children of Nashville's significant 
Kurdish community.  During a visit to a local police 
station, the group was very interested in local government 
structures.  Baydemir was unaware that the US had no 
national police force, and that city police forces are run 
by municipal authorities. 
 
NON-USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN-KIND SUPPORT AND 
AMOUNT:  The Mayor and his staff traveled to the US for the 
International Municipalities Conference in Washington DC and 
consultations with the UN Development Program.  The Turkish 
government funded this part of their trip.  The participants 
also covered internal airfare to Nashville, hotel 
accommodation, and their expenses. 
 
QUALITY OF U.S. SUPPORT AND AGENCY OFFICE:  Baydemir said 
that the program was "excellently organized", and Post 
agrees.  This is due to the efforts of program officer Paul 
Engelstad, who had to cope with numerous last-minute 
requests from the group. 
 
WILSON