US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4591

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 004591 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY: AMBASSADOR'S JULY 21 FAREWELL CALL ON 
ANKARA MAYOR GOKCEK 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador W. Robert Pearson. 
Reason:1.5(b)(d) 
 
 
1. (C) Ambassador paid a farewell call July 21 on I. Melih 
Gokcek, long-time and currently independent Mayor of Ankara. 
Gokcek provided his view on recent U.S.-Turkey tensions and 
how to repair them.  Gokcek observed that anti-Americanism is 
on the rise and risks becoming a permanent, and decisive, 
feature of Turkish-American political relations in the wake 
of the July 4 incident in Suleimaniyah.  He noted that the 
skyrocketing sales of Cola Turka (a new product marketed by 
the Ulker company, long associated with culturally 
conservative political circles) are a direct result of the 
strong sense of wounded Turkish national pride felt on the 
streets. 
 
 
2. (C) Ambassador thanked Gokcek, and noted at length that 
the USG had, in fact, good reason to believe that Turkish 
Special Forces troops in Suleimaniyah had been preparing to 
take action inimical to stability in Iraq.  The point 
immediately registered with, and was understood by, Gokcek, 
who then observed that the AK Government is facing strong 
pressure from three sources: 1) the USG; 2) the Turkish 
General Staff (TGS); and 3) the Turkish public.  The 
Government has to take into account all three pressure 
centers without offending any of them.   Speaking candidly, 
Gokcek observed that "if the AK Government offends the USG, 
we know our economy will be in trouble.  If it offend the 
TGS, you know better than I do just what will happen.  If AK 
offends the voters it will be finished politically."   He 
added that if relations continue to sour as a result of the 
July 4 or similar incidents, the GOT will have to choose 
sides with "either of the two domestic groups" -- the Turkish 
people or the TGS.  Absent a signal of friendship from the 
U.S. directly to the Turkish people, things risked getting 
worse. 
 
 
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Local Politics 
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3. (C) Speaking of the voters, Gokcek observed that the 
public as a rule "only remembers what you've done in your 
last year of office" -- right before elections.  He referred 
in that vein to the numerous road-building and other 
construction/urban renewal projects currently underway across 
Ankara.  He downplayed speculation that Turkey will head this 
fall to nation-wide local elections (mandatory by April 
2004), noting that President Sezer seems to be in veto-mode 
and is likely to try to veto any election law that comes down 
the pike -- thus at the very least delaying or otherwise 
complicating any fall election time-table that might be under 
consideration.  Gokcek offered nonchalantly that "I'll 
probably be joining AK in a few weeks," dismissing the 
possibility that Kecioren Mayor Turgut Altinok will challenge 
him for the ruling AK Party's Ankara mayoral nomination. 
 
 
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Comment 
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4. (C) Gokcek is a keen political observer and ambitious 
operator who makes it his business to keep abreast of what is 
on the voter's minds -- and understands his potential value 
to P.M./AK Chairman Erdogan as a successful mayor of Turkey's 
capital and second largest city as the local election 
campaign kicks off.  A nationalist at heart, Gokcek 
nevertheless has long looked askance at the TGS, and has long 
opposed its dominant role in politics and policy-making.  In 
this context, it is worth underscoring Gokcek's suggestion 
that they way to assuage wounded Turkish pride is by an 
appeal to the electorate rather than to the TGS -- which, 
while certainly feeling the sting, has its own agenda and 
reasons for portraying itself as the guardian of Turkish 
national honor. 
 
 
5. (C) Though extremely well-informed about national 
politics, reflecting his aspirations for a national 
leadership role, Gokcek is still for now keeping his feet 
firmly on local ground.  During the Q and A with the press 
before the private meeting, only one question was asked to 
the Ambassador -- by a Gokcek staffer seeking his comment on 
the quality of city services. 
PEARSON