US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2158

UNCLAS ANKARA 002158 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR E, EB AND EUR/SE 
TREASURY FOR OASIA 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR LERRION 
USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/DDEFALCO 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, TU 
SUBJECT:  GOT RESPONDS POSITIVELY ON QIZ, BUT SEEKS 
CHANGE IN DRAFT LEGISLATION 
 
 
Ref: (A) STATE 9981 (B) Ankara 
 
 
1. The GOT sent an official, positive response via 
diplomatic note (see para 2) to ref A points on whether 
to proceed with consultations with the Congress on 
Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) legislation.  The 
dipnote requests that the QIZ bill drop the clause 
allowing the U.S. side to exclude additional sensitive 
products, which are not explicitly mentioned in the 
bill, from the scope of the QIZ. 
 
 
2. Begin text of MFA Note No. 2004/EIGY/100158 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of 
Turkey presents its compliments to the Embassy of the 
United States of America and with reference to the 
Latter's Note No: 55, dated 20 January 2004, has the 
honor to present herewith a response to the U.S. paper 
on the QIZ issue. 
 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of 
Turkey avails itself of this opportunity to renew to 
the Embassy of the United States of America the 
assurances of its highest consideration. 
 
 
Ankara, April 13, 2004 
 
 
Enclosure: 
 
 
The Turkish Government expects the U.S. Administration 
to take the necessary steps vis-a-vis the Congress to 
finalize this long-standing issue. 
 
 
The exclusion of textiles, apparel and leather products 
will already minimize the export benefits to be 
expected from a QIZ scheme for Turkey. 
 
 
Therefore it is imperative that at least the "any other 
sensitive item to be declared by the President" phrase 
should be deleted from the proposed formulation, as 
this might constitute a striking deterrent for the 
investment dimension. 
 
 
End text dipnote. 
 
 
Edelman