VZCZCXRO3104
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIT #0598 3361505
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011505Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8631
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: SAKARYA: WORKING CLASS PROVINCE IN TURKEY'S 
HEARTLAND FACING EOONOMIC AND POLITICAL CHANGE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary and Comment: Sakarya, a working class 
province about 100 kilometers east of Istanbul, shows some 
negative impacts from the global financial crisis, despite 
contrary claims from local leaders.  The Consul General 
visited a sizable Goodyear Tire Factory -- a positive example 
of U.S. direct investment -- yet the factory was operating at 
reduced capacity due to the drop in global demand.  Both the 
local governor and deputy mayor downplayed the negative 
impacts of the global crisis on the province; citing the 
region's positive assets.  Sakarya Mayor Aziz Duran, dodged 
his meeting with the Consul General, rather implausibly 
claiming that he was both sick and out of town, possibly 
demonstrating that some local officials in this nationalistic 
and religiously conservative district see close contact with 
the U.S. as a political liability.  Duran appears to be 
fighting for his political life, facing the possibility that 
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will not pick 
him as the party's candidate in next year's local elections. 
End Summary and Comment 
 
¶2. (SBU) Sakarya Governor Huseyin Atak spoke generically 
about his province to our Consul General during her courtesy 
call on November 26, avoiding meaningful conversation. Atak 
was not concerned with the global economic crisis, instead 
focusing his efforts on earthquake preparedness -- in 
response to the 1999 Izmit earthquake which wreaked havoc in 
the region. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Sakarya Mayor Aziz Duran dodged his 
previously-confirmed meeting with the CG, with his office 
first claiming that he had been called to Ankara and then 
attributing his absence to illness. Duran,s stand-in -- 
Deputy Mayor Rodvan Ozum --told us the working-class province 
of Sakarya would feel few ill effects of the global crisis. 
Ozum stated the local unemployment rate is lower than that of 
the rest of Turkey and the local banking sector is not 
feeling a strong impact from the global credit crunch.  Ozum 
said Duran is proud of rebuilding the city from the 1999 
earthquake creating a strong economic base along with an 
environmentally friendly city. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ozum told us he is unsure the ruling Justice and 
Development Party (AKP) will resubmit Duran's name as the 
party's mayoral candidate for Sakarya for local elections 
next March. Internal AKP polling is assessing the popularity 
of Duran, according to Ozum, who stated candidates are chosen 
between a balance of local popularity and the inner decisions 
of the national party.  Comment: Open discussion that the AKP 
is considering changing its mayoral candidate in a safe AKP 
province where Duran easily won re-election in 2004 with 38 
percent of the vote -- over twice the votes of the second 
place DYP candidate -- is quite curious since the incumbent 
appears to be a strong candidate.  This uncertainty may have 
contributed to Duran,s unwillingness to meet with us.  End 
Comment. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Members of the Adapazari Chamber of Commerce and 
Industry told us Sakarya's economic situation is strong, yet 
the global economic crisis will adversely hit the region. 
Erol Ozturk, President of the Chamber, said Sakarya,s 
exports are valued at over 5 billon USD, thus part of 
Sakarya's economic success is directly linked to 
globalization. One positive example of foreign direct 
investment in Sakarya is the GoodYear factory in Sakarya that 
employs over 700 workers.  In a tour of the factory, the 
Consul General saw state-of-the-art industrial methods of 
constructing tires for export to EU counties.  The factory, 
however, was only operating at about fifty percent capacity 
compared to the previous year due to the economic situation. 
Plant officials also admitted the plant will be closed for 
ten days in late November and early December to reduce excess 
inventory. 
WIENER