US embassy cable - 02ANKARA8599

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.