US embassy cable - 03ISTANBUL1231

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 001231 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, TU, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: CHP ISTANBUL CONGRESS: ONE INJURED, NO FATALITIES 
 
REF: 2001 Istanbul 1102 
 
 
1.  (U) Summary: The Republican People's Party's August 3 
Istanbul congress showcased a spirited contest between 
supporters of party leader Deniz Baykal and opposition 
groups within the party.  When the votes were counted, 
Baykal's candidate, Sinasi Oktem, won easily, but a brawl on 
the congress floor highlighted divisions in the party.  End 
Summary. 
 
 
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Baykal Speaks 
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2.  (U) CHP party leader Deniz Baykal won only lukewarm 
applause when he entered the hall, a reaction that turned to 
sarcastic grins and angry interruptions as many delegates 
responded negatively to his speech.  Most reactions came 
when Baykal claimed the party had ended its fractional 
"schisms" and "internal conflicts." A number of delegates 
told PolOfficer that the party administration had dismissed 
many members and brought in new ones with "arbitrary" and 
"unlawful" decisions.  Not holding primaries before the 
general elections in November was another reason why Baykal 
opponents were unhappy with the party. 
 
 
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Tensions Rise 
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3.  (U) After Baykal's speech, when party delegates were 
given the chance to speak, tensions between the opposition 
and Baykal supporters started to rise, reaching a peak when 
some of the party officials proposed ending deliberations 
early. This caused an uproar and ended in fisticuffs, 
leading to one injury. 
 
 
4.  (U) Late in the afternoon, the three candidates for 
Istanbul chairman made their speeches.  Mehmet Boluk, a 
former chairman, and Batur Ilter criticized the party 
administration for its "anti-democratic" decisions. Both 
candidates complained about the party's "move towards the 
right," and demanded a more left-wing message to cull the 
votes of the poor. The two candidates' protests were 
disputed by the third, Sinasi Oktem, who praised the party's 
performance and policies. After his speech, Batur Ilter 
announced that he was withdrawing his candidacy, leaving 
only the opposition candidate, Mehmet Boluk, and the current 
chairman, Sinasi Oktem. The latter was elected with 409 
votes. 
 
 
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Comment 
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5.  (U) Although Oktem won the election with an overwhelming 
majority, the congress was a clear manifestation of the 
divide within the party between pro- and anti-Baykal forces. 
Despite a considerable number of members and delegates who 
are unhappy with the party's policies and the decisions made 
by the party leadership, Baykal seems to have managed to 
hang on to control in Istanbul. With a loyalist district 
chairman and support from most of the 140 newly-elected 
delegates that Istanbul will send to the party's national 
congress, Baykal enhanced his prospects for keeping dissent 
in check at that event as well. 
 
 
Arnett