US embassy cable - 05ISTANBUL691

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, Istanbul 
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