VZCZCXRO6336
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIT #0148/01 0541510
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231510Z FEB 07
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6659
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 6169
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE:BHUNT 
STATE FOR EUR/PPD:JRICKERT 
 
E.O 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPAO PREL TU
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL JANUARY PD ACTIVITIES 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Istanbul PAS activities in January 2007 included 
organizing an official visit by the Consul General to Kocaeli, an 
industrial province east of Istanbul; a round-table discussion with 
a group of young journalists; and a radio interview with one of 
Turkey's leading intellectuals.  In all cases, the CG was called to 
defend U.S. policies in Iraq and our cooperation with Turkey in 
combating the PKK.  The atmosphere in these conversations was 
consistently cordial, but it was clear that Iraq and the PKK 
continue to be the benchmark issues by which the public gauges the 
Turkey-U.S. relationship.  The Armenia "Genocide" Resolution had not 
yet hit the public consciousness.  End Summary 
 
---------------------------------------- 
CG Visit to Industrial Province, Kocaeli 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  CG Jones began her January 17 PAS-organized visit to the 
industrial province of Kocaeli (population 1.3 million), the richest 
province in Turkey, by making courtesy calls on Governor Gokhan 
Sozer and Mayor Ibrahim Karaosmanoglu.  Sozer, a career politician, 
assumed his current position only in October 2006, after serving as 
district governor in a number of other provinces and governor of 
Yozgat in Central Anatolia.  Karaosmanoglu, an Izmit native, is a 
founding member of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) party and 
served as Chairman of the AK Party in Kocaeli before becoming mayor 
in 2004. 
 
¶3.  Both politicians cited the influx of hundreds of thousands of 
unskilled and in many cases illiterate internal migrants, resulting 
in homelessness and widespread unemployment, as the major challenge 
for the province.  Traffic was another major area of concern.  They 
highlighted their success in cleaning up industrial waste as the 
most significant achievement.  In response to the CG's question 
about the level of cooperation between the province/municipality and 
private sector, Sozer and Karaosmanoglu replied that the private 
sector, especially through the Chamber of Industry, had assisted in 
constructing housing units, in particular following the devastating 
1999 earthquake. 
 
¶4.  The CG's discussions with the Chairman and ten members of the 
Board of the Chamber of Industry, one of the most active in Turkey, 
focused not only the province's industrial-based economy, which 
accounts for 13 percent of Turkey's industrial production, but also 
U.S. foreign policy, especially in Iraq.  Board members were openly 
critical of U.S. policy in Iraq, in particular of our apparent 
reluctance to pursue PKK leaders in the North. 
 
¶5.  CG Jones toured the $1.5 billion Ford Otosan factory, which 
employs 8,000 local workers and was selected as the "Best Ford Brand 
Assembly Plant in Europe" for the last five years.  Ford operations 
in Turkey are owned in equal partnership by Koc Holding and Ford 
Motor Company; it is the market leader in total automotive sales in 
Turkey. 
 
¶6.  Finally, the CG met with the rector of Kocaeli University, one 
of the top ten universities in Turkey, to discuss student exchanges, 
the Fulbright program, and upcoming cultural events that PAS is 
organizing in Kocaeli. 
 
¶7.  In a city that receives few official foreign visitors, the CG's 
presence was a major event, covered by all local media, including 
television, radio and news websites.  A very positive interview with 
the province's largest circulating newspaper, "Kocaeli," 
(circulation: 10,000) was published on January 19.  Topics ranged 
from the CG's visit to Kocaeli to U.S. policy in Iraq. Kocaeli's 
television station, TV41, broadcast a lengthy story about her visit 
during its January 17 primetime newscast. 
 
-------------------------- 
CG Hosts Young Journalists 
-------------------------- 
 
¶8.  As part of Post's ongoing effort to identify talented young 
journalists and editors, CG Jones on January 24 hosted eight Turkish 
journalists under age 40, representing both print and television 
media outlets.  For several, it was the first time they had been 
invited to a PAS-organized event.  The assassination of journalist 
Hrant Dink was a main topic - the journalists had all covered story 
and were clearly deeply affected, but most doubted that his death 
would result in a closer examination of "the events of 1915" or in a 
reversal or even watering down of Article 301.  One TV broadcaster 
(STAR TV) predicted that "all will be forgotten in 15 days."  Only 
one journalist disagreed, saying that Dink's death would bring about 
the start of a reconciliation process.  Several journalists pointed 
to the upswing in internet usage among young people over the past 
few years, providing an efficient medium for radical ideas to be 
spread among the unemployed. 
 
¶9.  On the PKK, a top TV broadcaster for CNN-Turk, renowned for his 
 
ISTANBUL 00000148  002 OF 002 
 
 
reporting from Iraq, strongly criticized the U.S. for not capturing 
PKK leaders in Northern Iraq, commenting that any journalist could 
identify their location. 
 
¶10.  The CG's question about the influence of Turkish religious and 
education leader Fettulah Gulen, currently residing in the U.S., and 
whether he intended to remain abroad or return to Turkey, elicited 
little response, underscoring the sensitivity of this issue.  The 
journalists unanimously agreed that the passage of an Armenian 
"Genocide" resolution by the House of Representatives would 
seriously harm U.S.-Turkey relations.  Although they realized that 
the U.S. Administration would not support such a congressional 
resolution, the average man on the street would not understand the 
distinction. 
 
¶11.  The CG asked about the various associations of journalists and 
whether there was an effective way for journalists from different 
media outlets and but sharing similar beats to organize meetings on 
subjects of common interest, such as the National Press Club in the 
U.S.  It appears that there is no such organization in Istanbul, but 
several guests thought it would be useful. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
CG GRANTS RADIO INTERVIEW IN COMMEMORATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, 
JR. 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  During a one-hour interview on January 15 with Istanbul's 
premier radio station targeting opinion leaders (Acik Radio), the CG 
focused not only on the life and legacy of the civil rights leader, 
but also on current topics including U.S. policies in Iraq and 
U.S.-Turkey relations.  In her remarks about Iraq, the CG drew an 
analogy with America's own historical struggles as a young 
democracy, describing in particular the advances the U.S. has made 
in the area of civil and human rights with the help of leaders such 
as Martin Luther King, Jr.  Istanbul's opinion leaders, generally 
fed a heavy dosage of analysis highly critical of U.S. policies in 
Iraq and the Middle East, were reminded of American values such as 
tolerance, justice and compassion as represented by Martin Luther 
King, Jr. 
 
¶13.  Comment:  Not surprisingly, Iraq and the PKK in Northern Iraq 
continue to be at the forefront of the Turkish public's concern 
regarding the U.S.-Turkey relationship.  We used these three 
visits/events, as well as many other opportunities, not only to 
explain the USG position, but also to highlight deeply held American 
values such as democracy and freedom of speech.  All of our 
interlocutors appreciated our willingness to hear their opinions and 
to engage in an open and honest dialogue. 
 
JONES