Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ISTANBUL596
2006-04-20 07:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Istanbul
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR WILSON'S ISTANBUL APRIL 2-4 VISIT -

Tags:  PREL ECON PGOV EINV TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIT #0596/01 1100747
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 200747Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4676
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4997
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000596 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2016
TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV EINV TU
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR WILSON'S ISTANBUL APRIL 2-4 VISIT -
REVISED


Classified By: Classified by Consul General Deborah K. Jones. Reasons
1.4 (b,d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000596

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2016
TAGS: PREL ECON PGOV EINV TU
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR WILSON'S ISTANBUL APRIL 2-4 VISIT -
REVISED


Classified By: Classified by Consul General Deborah K. Jones. Reasons
1.4 (b,d)


1. (U) Summary: Ambassador Wilson visited Istanbul on April
2-4, 2006. He attended and addressed the openings of two
significant conferences and met with business, religious, and
community leaders. Concerns in Istanbul focused on U.S.
actions regarding the PKK, U.S. intentions in Iran, and the
status of U.S.-Turkey relations, particularly in light of the
recent Hamas visit to Ankara. End summary.

FOURTH ASSEMBLY OF THE WORLD MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY
-------------- --------------


2. (U) The World Movement for Democracy conference organized
by the National Endowment for Democracy attracted an
impressive array of leaders from NGO,
academic, and governmental sectors. Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke at the opening session, lamenting
that "terror is becoming more globalized than peace," and
citing poverty and ignorance as causes. The Ambassador, as a
representative of one of three donor nations (U.S., Sweden,
Taiwan) supporting the conference, offered brief remarks at
the dinner following the opening
session, thanking participants for their important work in
advancing democracy worldwide.

COCA-COLA
--------------


3. (SBU-- CONTAINS COMPANY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION) The
Ambassador met on April 3, 2006, with Coca-Cola Turkey
President Ahmet Bozer and Public Relations Manager Gurtay
Kipcak to discuss tax issues. Coca-Cola was given a
provisional tax assessment for FY 2000-2003 of USD 230
million, and then asked to acquire a bank letter of guarantee
for that amount, at a cost of $7.5 million annually to the
company. Although the auditor who conducted the assessment
has since been discredited, a follow-up audit only reduced
the tax liability to $100 million, and did not significantly
reduce the amount required in the letter of guarantee.
Coca-Cola is contemplating a meeting with PM Erdogan or
Minister of the Economy Ali Babacan before its scheduled
settlement hearing in April.



4. (SBU-- CONTAINS COMPANY PROPRIETARY INFORMATION) Bozer
said Coca-Cola may bring a lawsuit in this case, but he is
unsure about the outcome given the unpredictability of the
courts and tenuous rule of law in Turkey. Coca-Cola faced a
similarly high tax assessment for FY 1999, went to court, and
won. But anti-American sentiment is higher now, and he
believes there is a related fear of press coverage about the
government going soft on American companies. In
addition, Bozer believes that some GOT officials may be
trying to protect Ulker, Coca-Cola,s leading domestic
competitor, and this could bias court proceedings.

CHIEF RABBI, JEWISH COMMUNITY
--------------


5. (SBU) Chief Rabbi Isak Haleva and top members of the
Jewish community,s lay council expressed their continued
security concerns following the synagogue bombings in 2003.
They praised the Istanbul police force for its cooperation
and support of the Jewish community, however, and noted that
they have no plans to increase the private security measures
they are currently taking. The Ambassador expressed U.S.
commitment to the security and well-being of the community.



6. (SBU) The Jewish Community also expressed concerns about
growing anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism in some fringe
media outlets. The prevalence and rapid spread of conspiracy
theories in Turkey, they said, fuels the fires of
anti-Semitism. They praised the GOT for its support of
interfaith dialogue and noted that their own cultural events
and educational efforts were having a positive impact.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF LEADING ISTANBUL NEWSPAPER
-------------- --


6. (U) In a meeting with Fatih Aytali, Editor-in-Chief of
Sabah, Turkey's fourth largest paper with a circulation of
500,000, the discussion focused on the PKK, the situation in
Iran, and Turkish-American relations. The Ambassador
described the U.S. strategy on PKK violence that aims at
specific problems in Iraq, Europe and Turkey. He refused to
speculate about whether the U.S. would ask Turkey for support
from the Incirlik base in the event of military action
against Iran, and emphasized that the U.S. is currently
pursuing a diplomatic course of action on the Iran nuclear
issue.



7. (SBU) When asked, the Ambassador said that U.S.-Turkey
relations are better than they were three years ago, but they
are still in a rebuilding period. He noted that the recent
Hamas visit and the way in which it was communicated to the
USG left people in Washington wondering about the direction
in which Turkey is heading.

ARMENIAN PATRIARCH
--------------


8. (C) Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II outlined his top
priorities to the Ambassador as providing religious services
to the Armenian population and fostering friendship and
reconciliation between Turks and Armenians. He suggested his
work would be cut out for him when Armenian Catholicos
Karekin II visits Istanbul at the end of June. Karekin has
been vocal on the genocide issue. While Mesrob has requested
that Karekin not take a strong stance while he is here,
Karekin,s intentions remain to be seen. Karekin had planned
to visit last year, but Mesrob asked that he not come in
light of the ninetieth
anniversary of the massacres of 1915.


9. (SBU) In contrast to the Greek Patriarchate, which
focuses its religious instruction efforts on re-opening the
Halki high school, Mesrob proposes the establishment of a
university-level theology department that would have
sub-units for the various religions that exist in Turkey.
The program would be open to both co-religionists and Turkish
Muslims, and graduates would have the
opportunity to be ordained. The Ministry of Education has
voiced support for his idea, but no concrete steps have been
taken thus far. Sticking points include who will write the
curriculum (Mesrob asserts that if the Patriarchate is going
to ordain graduates, it must create the curriculum); where it
will be located (Galatasaray is the only university that has
expressed an interest in
hosting the program, but Mesrob is reluctant because this is
a French-speaking university, and his participants will
already be charged with learning ancient Armenian, modern
Armenian, and Hebrew); and who will pay for the program
(Mesrob asserts that the government should pay for the
establishment of the program, noting that the GOT pays for
the salaries of all imams, as well as electricity, upkeep,
and taxes of all mosques, and does not do the same for other
religions.

ARMENIAN BSEC REPRESENTATIVE GAREN MIRZOYAN
--------------


10. (C) The Armenian representative to the Black Sea
Economic Council (BSEC) is Armenia,s only accredited
diplomat in Turkey. Representative Karen Mirzoyan stated
that despite positive efforts by both sides, there has not
been substantial progress on Turkish-Armenian issues over the
last two years. Mirzoyan noted Armenia,s proposal for a
bilateral commission to deal with all the issues, including
the events of 1915, how Turks and Armenians can overcome
their differences, and control of the Turk-Armenian border.
He said that Armenia will probably reply soon, and
negatively, to the latest Turkish proposal regarding
bilateral commissions. Mirzoyan characterized the U.S. as a
"unique partner" that could help in promoting dialogue
between governments and in on-going private projects, such as
a Kurdish-Armenian Women,s Magazine and a Global Heritage
Fund project to restore historical monasteries in the Kars
region of Turkey. The Ambassador suggested that BSEC look to
APEC, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, as a model to
develop business ties, infrastructure, and trade in the
region. He reiterated U.S. support for a settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, noting that this is an historic
opportunity that may not come again until after the 2007-08
election cycles have passed in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

SEMINAR ON ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS & POLICE CUSTODY IN
CRIMINAL LEGISLATION
-------------- --------------


11. (U) The Ambassador gave remarks at the opening session
of the above-titled seminar. Turkish participants included
the Ministries of Justice and Interior undersecretaries,
several judges, prosecutors, prison officials and others.
U.S. participants included Senior Judge for the U.S. Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals Clifford Wallace, representatives
from the Los Angeles Sheriff,s Department, and various
district attorneys. The Ambassador expressed U.S. support
for judicial reform.

TURKISH AMERICAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
--------------


12. (U) Finally, the Ambassador addressed a well-attended
luncheon hosted by the Turkish American Business Association
(TABA). The Ambassador briefly reviewed his meetings in
Washington in connection with the ATC and commented on
Turkey,s strong economic growth over the past four years.


13. (U) In questions following the speech, participants
brought up many of the issues raised earlier in the visit.
On the PKK, the Ambassador restated the U.S. strategy in
Iraq, Europe and Turkey. On Hamas, he emphasized
Congressional and public concern and anger about the visit,
stating that while Turkey is a friend and ally of the U.S.,
some are questioning Turkey,s intentions, and even Turkey
supporters were "disappointed." On Iran, the Ambassador
reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to diplomacy to persuade Iran
to abandon its nuclear programs and expressed appreciation
for Turkey,s support. On the EU, the Ambassador reaffirmed
U.S. support for Turkey,s accession, and encouraged Turkey
to start aggressively pursuing the economic and political
reform agenda that is part of that accession process.
JONES