VZCZCXRO3020
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIT #0779 2411057
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291057Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7443
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000779 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM TU
SUBJECT: CONSUL GENERAL'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON ISTANBUL 
GOVERNOR 
 
REF: A. ISTANBUL 0556 
     ¶B. ANKARA 2145 
     ¶C. ANKARA 1876 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler stressed 
the importance of US cooperation in combating PKK terrorism 
during a cordial introductory meeting with the incoming 
Consul General.  Guler offered his continued full support to 
the Consulate General, including and especially with respect 
to security issues and for assistance with responding to 
inquiries associated with USG interests.  The Governor and 
Consul General also discussed Turkey's economic growth, EU 
accession and Turkey's presidential elections, among other 
issues.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Consul General presented her credentials to 
Governor Guler during an August 20 introductory call that was 
cordial and included surprisingly more substance than such 
occasions would normally engender.  Consul General expressed 
her appreciation for the Governor's good cooperation with the 
Consulate General, in particular with respect to security and 
to support for USG visitors.  Guler responded he had enjoyed 
good relations with the two previous Consuls General and 
would continue to give his full support. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Emphasizing the strategic nature of US-Turkey 
relations, Guler underscored the important role Turkey plays 
in the region as a secular and democratic state among Islamic 
countries.   He stressed the importance of cooperating in the 
Middle East in order to contain the spread of nuclear weapons 
and combat international terrorism, which he said was the 
most important issue affecting the relationship.  Turkey is 
concerned about terrorism originating in northern Iraq and 
the Turkish people's highest expectation is for a show of 
determination in the fight against the PKK, the Governor 
warned.  Iraq, he added, must continue to be administered by 
a centralized government.  Consul General assured the 
Governor that the United States views the PKK as a terrorist 
organization and is doing everything it can to ensure it does 
not represent a threat to Turkey.  The United States 
understands more needs to be done, she acknowledged, while 
stressing that the USG shares Turkey's interests in a unified 
Iraq. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Though Turkey had sustained a high economic growth 
rate over the last few years, Guler admitted that in order to 
create jobs, foreign direct investment needs to be channeled 
to production rather than just financial sectors as has been 
the case.  EU accession was critical for Turkey, he argued, 
and European countries should not delay the process.  Consul 
General reiterated USG support for Turkey's EU accession 
while recognizing the central role Turkey plays in issues 
spanning across Europe and the Middle East. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Reaffirming US interests in the concerns of 
Turkey's religious minority communities, Consul General 
thanked the Governor for his cooperation in responding to 
associated inquiries.  She informed him that we had received 
a different type of inquiry recently concerning frozen 
Amnesty International funds (ref A), and noted that Consulate 
General staff would follow up this issue with the 
Governorship.  Guler agreed, stressing that he and his staff 
would be willing to answer any question on any subject. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) With the first round of Turkey's presidential vote 
in parliament scheduled later that day, Guler spoke candidly 
about FM Abdullah Gul who was widely expected to be elected 
in the third round on August 28 (ref B).  Observing that Gul 
knows foreign policy very well, the Governor proffered that 
he would be a very active president who would ring in a new 
era in international relations for Turkey, thus diminishing 
the burden currently placed on PM Erdogan.  Guler maintained 
that democratic forces (presumably the Justice and 
Development party's resounding success in the July 22 
parliamentary elections -- ref C) compelled Gul to pursue the 
presidency.  He further remarked that FM Gul's presidential 
candidacy had received positive reactions from Europe and the 
US.  Consul General responded that the US position on the 
elections was one of support for Turkey's democratic 
institutions. 
WIENER