Cablegate: Pd Program Alumni in New Turkish Government

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ANKARA 008599

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/PPD - ONEAL; EUR/SE - RGLOVER; ECA/PE/V;
ECA/A; IIP/G/EUR; R

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO TU
SUBJECT: PD PROGRAM ALUMNI IN NEW TURKISH GOVERNMENT

1. Turkey's November 3, 2002 election swept the new AK Party
into power and also swept away many familiar faces. We have
periodically reported on the number of PD program alumni who
had risen in the ranks of the government and been elected to
the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Many program alumni
were leaders of the defeated coalition, however, in the week
that saw the appearance of the lists of new ministers and
new parliamentarians, showed a number of familiar names -
newly influential alumni. The Mission had good relations
with the victorious AKP and CHP members while they were in
the opposition, thus there is easy contact with them as the
new majority and minority parties. In addition to frequent
meetings, office calls and social events, members of the new
government and parliaments have been participants in a
variety of PD programs.

2. International Visitors Program:

Prime Minister, Dr. Abdullah Gul, AK Party MP from Kayseri
participant in the Multiregional International Visitor
Program, "US Economy in the World Economic System" , July 27-
August 14, 1995. At the time Dr. Gul had been a sitting
member of Parliament from the Refah Party and an Associate
Professor in Economics at Sarkarya University.

Minister of Defense, Vecdi Gonul, Individual Program on
State and Local Government, 1986. At the time M.r Gonul was
the Governor of Izmir.

Hanefi Mahicicek - AK Party MP from Kahramanmaras -
Particiated in the FY2000 program for mayors.

Ekrem Bilek - Democratic People's Party (CHP) former Mayor,
now MP from Siirt - State and Local Government, 1994

Several programs were designed for mayors from the Southeast
of Turkey during the difficult years of the insurgency in
that region. Funding came from many sources, Mission and
ECA but the programs were modeled on IV programs. Among
the participants who are now MPs are:

Ahmet Munir Erkal, AK Party MP from Malatya, 1997

Ali Sezal, AK Party MP from Kahramanmaras, 1997

3. Fulbright Fellowship:

Minister of State for the Economy - Ali Babacan, Masters
Program, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern
University, 1990-91.

4. IRC:

Our Information Resource Center has served the role that the
Congressional Research Service plays in Washington for many
of Turkey's lawmakers. We already see the trend continuing
with the new team.

Minority Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal's secretary
frequently calls our IRC with reference questions.

Prof. Dr. Aziz Akgul of Kirikkale University is now an AKP
deputy and was a senior advisor to former Prime Minister
Erbekan (1997). He has gone to the IRC with lengthy queries
on civil service reform, performance budgetting and e-
commerce. He is an avid recipient of our Table of Contents
Service.

Mehmet Dulger, AKP deputy had been an active American
Library member since he was one of the one of the founders
of DYP, and top aide to President Suleyman Demirel.

5. There will be more.

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