Cablegate: Sabah Article: "Sariyer, the Most

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

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000691

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PPD, EUR/EX, OBO/REPM
STATE FOR DS/DSS/ITA, DS/EUR/IP, DS/ICI/CI

E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL ABLD AMGT ASEC TU
SUBJECT: SABAH ARTICLE: "SARIYER, THE MOST
DIPLOMATIC QUARTER"

1. SUMMARY: THE U.S. CONSULATE IS SETTING THE
TREND IN ISTANBUL. NATIONAL DAILY "SABAH" REPORTS
THAT SEVEN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES ARE SETTING UP
THEIR JOINT CONSULATE NEARBY. BELOW IS A
TRANSLATION OF THE APRIL 29 ARTICLE. END SUMMARY.

2. "A DIPLOMATIC CENTER IS DEVELOPING IN SARIYER,
WHERE THE U.S. CONSULATE MOVED DUE TO SECURITY
CONCERNS. AS A RESULT OF A PUSH BY THE SARIYER
MUNICIPALITY, THE CONSULATES OF THE `TURKISH
REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS,' BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA,
AZERBAIJAN, TURKMENISTAN, UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN,
AND KAZAKHSTAN WILL MOVE TO SARIYER INTO A LARGE
COMPLEX.

3. "THIS PROJECT IS NOT LIMITED TO CONSULATES
ONLY. IT WILL BE PART OF A LARGER COMPLEX THAT
INCLUDES A HOSPITAL, FAIR AND CONGRESS CENTER,
TECHNOPARK AND HOTEL. ALL DRAWINGS OF THE DETAILS
OF THE PROJECT, WHICH AIMS TO CHANGE SARIYER'S
APPEARANCE, HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

4. "A DOSSIER WITH THE PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT HAS
BEEN SENT TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY. IT IS NOW
BEING REVIEWED AND THE PROJECT - WHICH IS SAID TO
HAVE ATTRACTED INTEREST IN ANKARA -- WILL START AS
SOON AS IT IS APPROVED BY THE MINISTRY.

5. "SARIYER MAYOR YUSUF TULUN SAID THAT THE
CONSULATES OF TURKIC REPUBLICS IN ISTANBUL ARE
LOCATED IN INCONVENIENT AND DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS.
HE CONTINUED, `CONSULS OF TURKIC REPUBLICS SUPPORT
THIS PROJECT AS WELL. WE WANT SARIYER TO BE A
DIPLOMATIC QUARTER. WE ALREADY HAVE THE
CONSULATES OF THE UNITED STATES, SPAIN, AUSTRIA,
JAPAN AND CHINA WITHIN OUR (MUNICIPAL) BORDERS.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED THE PROJECT TO THE FOREIGN
MINISTRY'S UNDERSECRETARIAT. WE WILL BE ABLE TO
ALLOCATE LAND. WE WANT SARIYER TO BE A CENTER OF
ATTRACTION. WITH THIS PROJECT, CONSULATES OF
THESE COUNTRIES WILL WORK TOGETHER IN A LARGE
BUILDING AND DEVELOP RELATIONS BETWEEN THEIR
COUNTRIES.'

6. "THE U.S., WHICH MOVED ITS CONSULATE IN BEYOGLU
TO THE HIGHEST HILL IN ISTINYE FOR SECURITY
REASONS, IS AMONG THE LATEST GUESTS OF THE
DISTRICT.

7. "THE (U.S.) CONSULATE BUILDING IN ISTINYE IS
EASILY VISIBLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE DISTRICT.
CHINA AND AUSTRIA HAVE THEIR CONSULATE BUILDINGS
IN THIS DISTRICT IN ADDITION TO THE U.S. AFTER
THE APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT, THE NUMBER OF
CONSULATES IN SARIYER WILL RISE TO 10."

ARNETT

© Scoop Media