VZCZCXRO4844
RR RUEHDA
DE RUEHAK #3636 1711301
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201301Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6718
INFO RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0826
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 0885
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC

UNCLAS ANKARA 003636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 4212/ITA/MAC/CPD/CRUSNAK 
PASS EXIMBANK FOR MARGARET KOSTIC 
PASS OPIC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP ETRD KPAO TU
SUBJECT:  BUSINESS SEMINARS SET FOR FIVE TURKISH CITIES 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  U.S. Chamber of Commerce officials visited Turkey June 
12-16 to settle the final details of a five-city series of trade 
outreach seminars aimed at small and medium-sized Turkish firms. 
The Chamber will implement the one-day long seminars jointly with 
Turkey's leading business association, the Union of Chambers and 
Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and with local chambers in the five 
cities.  The two organizations agreed on a budget under which TOBB 
or the local chambers will pay for the costs of interpretation and 
catering for the five events.  The Chamber's portion of the overall 
budget, including transportation and per diem for visiting experts 
from the United States and publication of a "guide book" and website 
on doing business with the United States, will be supported by 
$200,000 out of a $400,000 business development grant extended by 
USAID using ESF funds to the Carana Corporation. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The events will be held on July 24 and 26 in Ankara and 
Kayseri and September 11 and 13 in Izmir and Gazianetep, with the 
final event September 15 in Istanbul.  The draft agenda includes 
sessions on, 
 
     1) Success stories of Turkish businesses in the 
        United States. 
 
     2) Overviews of key sectors in each of the five 
        cities and the potential of those sectors in 
        the U.S. market. 
 
     3) Marketing and brand establishment in the U.S. 
        market. 
 
     4) Legal, logistical and financial issues involved 
        in exporting to the United States. 
 
     5) U.S. business resources available to Turkish 
        exporters. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Throughout the day there will be opportunities for 
networking and relationship building.  The U.S. Chamber and TOBB 
expect a total of up to 900 Turkish businesses to participate.  TOBB 
will rely on local chambers of commerce and industry as well as on 
its own resources to develop a comprehensive invitation list of 
companies that demonstrate potential to enter the U.S. market.  U.S. 
Chamber-recruited participants include representatives of U.S. 
marketing companies and business associations, law firms, shipping 
companies and banks, leaders of state and local chambers of 
commerce, and U.S. Government (FCS and OPIC) representatives.  Both 
the Chamber and TOBB say they hope that these events will lead to 
long-term cooperation and partnership between the two 
organizations. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Comment.  The United States has lost market share as 
Turkey's economy and trade sectors boomed after the 2001 financial 
crisis.  Total Turkish trade grew from $86 billion to $190 billion 
between 2002 and 2005, but trade with the United States rose from 
just $6 billion to $10 billion over the same period.  Bringing this 
project -- which breaks new ground for both the U.S. Chamber and 
TOBB -- to fruition has not been easy, and Post appreciates the 
support of USAID.  The programs should "show the flag," contribute 
to the expansion of trade relationships, and seed a long-term 
relationship between the largest U.S. and Turkish business 
organizations.  The seminars' regional dimension and the focus on 
SME's is particularly positive in helping develop grassroots support 
for the bilateral relationship.  We expect that all of the events, 
particularly the opening and closing sessions in Ankara and 
Istanbul, to generate significant positive press coverage. 
WILSON