FOREIGN INTEREST DOWN FOR TURKEY'S PRIVATIZATION

UNCLAS ANKARA 001176 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ENRG ECON TU SUBJECT: FOREIGN INTEREST DOWN FOR TURKEY'S PRIVATIZATION OFFERINGS REF: ANKARA 862 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Privatization receipts are a significant source of income for Turkey. The AKP-led government has pursued an aggressive privatization program since it took office in 2002. On June 12, Privatization Agency (PA) President Metin Kilci told us that although foreign investor interest has decreased in 2008, the PA plans to continue with its privatization agenda. So far this year, telecom, petrochemical, and cigarette businesses have been privatized, with sugar factories, toll roads and the national lottery to follow. The first of 20 planned energy tenders had "disappointing" results. End Summary. FDI Breaks a Record. Will Trend Continue? -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In 2007, Turkey received a record $21.8 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI). Privatization revenues are one component of FDI. The $21.8 billion came from acquisitions via privatization, mergers, and real estate purchases. In 2006, Turkey received $7.2 billion in privatization revenues. In 2007, privatizations yielded only $3 billion. In 2008 to date, PA revenues are $5.7 billion. Prime Minister Erdogan forecast a total of $18 billion FDI in 2008, despite current global conditions and a liquidity crunch. We believe this estimate may be substantially overstated. Despite significant interest in electricity privatizations and 10 European companies prequalified to bid, only two of those foreigners actually bid. PA President Metin Kilci told us he sees this trend continuing, noting there is definitely less foreign interest in privatization tenders. ¶3. (U) In 2008 to date, Turkey has received $5.7 billion, of which $2 billion came from the Turk Telecom IPO (initial public offering) for 15% of its shares. In 2005, 50% of Turk Telecom was sold to Saudi Oger Telecom for $6.5 billion. Turk Telecom's sale was one of the biggest IPOs in emerging market economies in the last five years. Another $2 billion was received on May 30 from a 51% block sale of PETKIM (Turkish Petrochemical Industries) to Socar/Turcas consortium. On June 24, PA received $1.7 billion from the sale of Turkish Monopolies (TEKEL) cigarette company to British American Tobacco PLC (BAT). Tekel and Smoking -------------- ¶4. (SBU) BAT's purchase of TEKEL for $1.7 billion makes BAT the world,s second largest tobacco company. TEKEL's sale is 
the fifth largest privatization in Turkey, and it opens the market to much greater foreign participation. Before the sale, TEKEL held 36 percent of the Turkish market and BAT had seven percent. Philip Morris had 41% and Japanese Tobacco Incorporated had 20%. According to the World Health Organization, about 60 percent of Turkish adults smoke. In 2007, the Turkish tobacco market was valued at $10 billion, according to the Tobacco and Alcohol Market Inspection Board. There may be a decline in consumption following a May 2008 indoor smoking ban, which BAT estimates could cause a four to five percent drop in Turkish consumption. BAT sees significant opportunities to increase efficiency and cut costs at Tekel to boost profitability, although this could result in plant closings and lost jobs. Future Privatization Opportunities -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Kilci told us the GOT is determined to continue with the privatization program. Later in 2008, privatizations of sugar factories, toll roads, and the national lottery are planned. The two latter projects will require a technical legislative fix, but Kilci is confident that will be easily achieved. Kilci said investment interest is declining due to global liquidity problems and international financing difficulty. During the next two years, Kilci said the PA plans to privatize state infrastructure programs, such as Turkish mail service (PTT),cable TV, and satellites. Kilci said the turbulence in European banks had started to affect Turkish banks, with borrowing costs increasing an average of at least 100 basis points. ¶6. (SBU) Despite telling us earlier that Halkbank would be a 2008 privatization priority, on June 12 Kilci did not even mention it. In May 2007, Halkbank sold 25% of its shares through an IPO. The PA has not announced a strategy to sell the remaining 75%, although the advising investment banks suggest a strategic block sale. Prior to 2002, the GOT party in power sometimes used government-owned banks to make subsidized and unsecured loans to garner political support and votes. This practice resulted in a number of defaults and losses. In 2002, the IMF insisted the GOT stop this practice, which it did. Recently, however, we have seen signs the practice has started again. One example is a loan extended to Calik Holding for the purchase of Sabah/ATV. Calik is one of the AKP's large contributors and the Prime Minister's son in law is a top Calik manager. Energy Privatizations Not Off to a Great Start -------------- - ¶7. (SBU) In the next two to three years, Kilci expects to finalize all energy privatizations, including distribution, generation, and some parts of the electricity and natural gas transmission units. Kilci said the PA expects to receive an average of $1 billion from each of twenty regional electricity distribution privatizations. Kilci reiterated PA's interest in attracting more U.S. and international investors to Turkish privatizations, but noted that his offerings are highly technical. It takes more than a one-shot roadshow sales pitch to attract solid bids. ¶8. (SBU) The sale of Turkey's first two regional power distribution companies - Baskent (Ankara) and Sedas (Sakarya) - was met with lukewarm demand from investors. Those tenders, detailed in reftel, closed on June 10, although no results have been announced. PA contacts did tell us they were "disappointed" with the bids, which may suggest the $1 billion per-project estimate could be tough to achieve. Kilci said there was strong interest from European firms in energy deals, but while many investors prequalified, only a few made bids. Five bids for each distribution region were received and just two foreign firms bid in consortium with local partners. The failure to attract more interest, especially among foreign investors, raises concerns about the outcome of the sale of the next two distribution regions and the total amount of money Turkey can raise from the long delayed privatization of its power distribution regions. ¶9. (SBU) Comment: Given the prevailing political uncertainty in the country and the weak external environment, there is a growing risk that the valuations of Turkey's state assets offered for sale in the future could be undervalued and underbid. If PA does not meet its privatization goals, it will also raise concern about financing of the growing current account deficit, which is estimated to reach $50 billion by the end of 2008. End comment. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON