VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #0022/01 0070921
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070921Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1619
INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 0991

UNCLAS ANKARA 000022 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/STC: William Lawrence 
STATE please pass to OSTP: Jason Rao 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SENV TU
SUBJECT: Scenesetter for Science Envoy Dr. Zewail 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) While U.S. and Turkish entities collaborate in several 
areas of science and technology, both sides see room for and benefit 
to expanding collaboration.  The Turks are particularly interested 
in results-oriented partnerships that can spur economic development. 
 Currently, the strongest areas of USG S&T collaboration in Turkey 
are in earth sciences, energy, and support of academic exchanges and 
programs. 
 
POINTS TO RAISE 
 
¶2. (SBU) You should raise the following points during your 
meetings: 
 
--Applaud Turkey's strong commitment to R&D and the increased grant 
funding and incentives the GOT has put in place over the past 
several years. (paras 4-5) 
 
--The U.S. is committed to expanding S&T collaboration with Turkey, 
building on the base of existing governmental, academic, and private 
sector cooperation. (para 6-9) 
 
--Venture capital funds and other infrastructure are vital to 
commercializing research results.  Given the strength of the U.S. 
venture capital and intellectual-property-rights development system, 
this is an area ripe for bilateral cooperation. (para 9) 
 
WATCH OUT FOR 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Turks are like to raise the following points: 
 
--How can Turkey benefit from the promise of President Obama's Cairo 
speech?  What specific programs and funding can you offer? (para 4) 
 
--Requests for getting a Turkish astronaut into space (there are no 
spaces left on any of the remaining space shuttle flights before the 
program ends). (para 6) 
 
--How can we collaborate to improve the link between scientific 
research and economic development? (paras 4-5) 
 
--While all the representatives you will meet will look to you for 
ideas, some will also present specific suggestions for programs and 
partnerships. 
 
Turkish Government Committed to R&D Support 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Turks are very interested in expanding collaboration 
with the U.S. in science and technology.  Staff at the Scientific 
and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) particularly 
noted President Obama's comments in Cairo about establishing centers 
of excellence and developing the R&D-innovation-commercialization 
cycle.  As TUBITAK Vice President Dr. Omar Anlagan recently told us, 
Turkey seeks to build a science and technology relation with the 
U.S. that yields "solid results." 
 
¶5. (U) In 2005, the government of Turkey (GOT) decided to increase 
its research and development spending in order to improve 
productivity and reduce the trade deficit.  It set a target of two 
percent of GDP for R&D funding by 2015.  After four years of 
progress toward that goal, the government has now moved the target 
date up to 2013.  GOT funding is distributed by the Scientific and 
Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) to both academics 
and the private sector, foreign or domestic.  The GOT also provides 
tax incentives for companies who engage in R&D in one of several 
"technoparks," usually located near universities.  In 2008 the 
government extended these incentives to companies outside the 
technoparks that have more than 50 employees in their R&D 
departments.  Partially as a result of these GOT measures, the R&D 
landscape in Turkey has been changing over the past several years, 
such that the private sector recently surpassed academia in the 
level of R&D expenditures. 
 
USG Collaboration 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) U.S. government agencies and universities collaborate with 
Turkish agencies, universities, and private companies in several 
areas.  In recent years, representatives from CDC, NIH, USGS, NOAA, 
NASA, EPA, NSF, and the Department of Energy (DOE) have visited 
Turkey to provide training or technical assistance or participate in 
conferences.  Other key treaties, programs, and fields of interest 
include the following: 
 
--S&T Agreement: We signed a scientific and technical cooperation 
agreement with Turkey in 1994 and extended it in 1999.  The 
 
extension has expired, however, and we are currently negotiating a 
new agreement. 
 
--Earth Sciences: Under the "Agreement concerning the closure of 
Belbasi installation and the activation of a new seismic research 
station," the USGS provides the GOT with seismographic equipment and 
limited technical assistance related to the equipment.  The USGS 
also cooperates with Bogazaci University on seismic research and in 
2002 signed a "Memorandum of understanding concerning scientific and 
technical cooperation in the earth sciences" with the Turkish 
Ministry of Public Works and Settlement. 
 
--Space Programs: As a result of PM Erdogan's recent meeting with 
President Obama and a request from President Gul, NASA is exploring 
possibilities for cooperation on space programs.  It is unlikely, 
however, that the Turks will be able to participate in a space 
shuttle mission as NASA informs us that there are no spaces left on 
any of the remaining flights before the program ends. 
 
--Clean Energy: Another potential area for expanding cooperation is 
clean energy.  This is an area of strong interest for the Turks, as 
their national energy strategy sets an ambitious goal of meeting 30 
percent of power demand through renewable sources by 2023.  DOE is 
actively working to maintain and expand its collaboration with 
Turkey.  In June DOE will hold a regional conference on energy 
efficiency in Istanbul.  DOE also has drafted a proposal for a 
"partnership for energy innovation," which aims to provide a 
sustained mechanism for enhanced cooperation on clean energy 
technologies and energy efficiency and highlight Turkey's ability to 
serve as a regional model for energy innovation.  DOE cannot fund 
the initiative at this time, however, and so has not formally 
proposed it to the GOT. 
 
Academic Exchanges and Partnerships 
---------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Although information on programs specific to science and 
technology is limited, student exchanges and academic partnerships 
between Turkey and the U.S. are generally strong.  The Fulbright 
program budget has increased fivefold over the past six years, most 
recently with a $1 million increase (50 percent from the Turkish 
Ministry of Education, 50 percent from the USG).  The program 
presently supports over 200 student and faculty exchanges annually 
as well as educational advising services and small support grants to 
needy students applying for U.S. university-based scholarships. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The number of Turkish students attending U.S. institutions 
increased 10 percent to 13,000 for the 2008-2009 school year, 
ranking Turkey 8th among countries of origin.  The GOT provides 1000 
scholarships a year to masters and doctorate students to study 
abroad.  According to TUBITAK VP Anlagan, the majority of the 
recipients choose to attend U.S. universities, to the extent that 
other countries have asked the GOT to intervene to sway recipients' 
choices, which the GOT will not do.  Nearly 200 U.S. colleges and 
universities have partnerships and exchange programs with Turkish 
universities.  A science-specific example is the Selcuk University 
(Konya)/Montana State University dual-degree program in engineering, 
which began several years ago.  The program receives tangential 
support from the USG as the students who are about to go on the U.S. 
segment of the program receive English instruction from a USG-funded 
English teaching assistant at the university.  The State University 
of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo and the SUNY Maritime College also 
have degree programs in engineering with Istanbul Technical 
University and Izmir Economics University. 
 
Commercialization and Venture Capital 
---------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) One missing ingredient in the Turkish R&D cycle is the lack 
of infrastructure to commercialize new products or ideas.  There are 
almost no venture capital funds operating in Turkey.  Very few 
Turkish researchers have commercialized their discoveries in Turkey. 
 Given the strength of the U.S. venture capital and 
intellectual-property-rights development system, this is an area 
ripe for bilateral cooperation and would be a direct follow up to 
President Obama's comments in Cairo about developing the 
R&D-innovation-commercialization cycle. 
 
SILLIMAN