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Viewing cable 10ISTANBUL65, DEMOCRATIC PARTY: NEW ISTANBUL CHAIRMAN, SAME OLD

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10ISTANBUL65 2010-02-20 10:37 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Istanbul
VZCZCXRO8671
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHIT #0065/01 0511037
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201037Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9519
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000065 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM OSCE TU
SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC PARTY: NEW ISTANBUL CHAIRMAN, SAME OLD 
MESSAGE 
 
REF: 09 ANKARA 1696 
 
ISTANBUL 00000065  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary. Newly-elected Istanbul Democratic Party 
(DP) Chairman H. Tekin Enerem described his party, which has 
recently emerged from its merger with ANAP and completed its 
provincial congress, as poised to take a leading role in 
government following upcoming general elections, scheduled to 
be held in 2011. Enerem expects early elections to be held 
later this year and criticized the government's handling of 
the National Unity Project and the economy, commenting that 
he anticipates the DP will attract votes from former AKP and 
CHP supporters. Enerem's diverse leadership board delivered a 
carefully crafted pro-U.S. message and underscored its 
commitment to representing Turkey's minority groups and 
women. Recent poll results still show the DP trailing even 
Saadet and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) at under four 
percent, however, so the leadership's big talk will need 
action behind it if the party is to stand a chance in 
upcoming elections. End Summary. 
 
The New(ish) Face of the Istanbul DP 
------------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) On February 11, newly-elected Istanbul Chairman of 
the DP Enerem paid a courtesy call on the Istanbul Consul 
General. He was accompanied by Deputy Chairman for Media and 
Public Relations Selay Tozkoparan, Deputy Chairman Erkan 
Selah, Secretary General Haluk Bozovali, Press Advisor Okan 
Sarikaya, Sisli Municipality Board Member Vasil Karakas and 
Board Member Garbis Cam. Enerem, who did most of the talking, 
described the DP's positions to the CG and offered 
wide-reaching criticism of the current Justice and 
Development Party (AKP) government. 
 
3. (SBU) Enerem described the DP as open to everyone and as 
representing Turkey's various communities. The DP has 
representatives from the Jewish, Armenian, Greek, and Alevi 
constituencies, according to Enerem, whose team included an 
ethnic Greek (Karakas) and an ethnic Armenian (Cam). Karakas 
said that there is "secret discrimination" in today's Turkey 
against anyone who is not pro-AKP and especially against 
minorities; he commented that as an anti-AKP minority it had 
become impossible to do business with the government or to 
win tenders and said that businessmen are afraid to make 
contributions to other parties. Enerem also voiced his 
support for women's issues and a quota system for women in 
politics, and noted that five out of 39 Istanbul district 
chairs in the DP are women. He criticized AKP's leadership 
specifically on the National Unity Project and economic 
issues, and noted that the DP's policies (unspecified) on 
these issues would distinguish the party from AKP. 
 
4. (SBU) The DP is expecting an early general election to be 
held this year, "maybe after Ramadan," citing undisclosed 
sources within Prime Minister Erdogan's circle. Enerem says 
the DP is confident it will pass the parliamentary 10 percent 
threshold and said that it is hard to imagine a limit to the 
DP's success once that threshold is passed. 
DP anticipates its new votes will come from former AKP 
supporters due to the limited support for Islamist parties in 
Turkey; Enerem claimed that DP lost votes to AKP formerly but 
will get them back. DP also expects votes from anti-Baykal 
former CHP supporters but not from the MHP electorate. DP's 
entrance into the parliament will usher in a new era of 
"balance." 
 
Playing the Pro-U.S. Card 
------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Enerem noted the DP's long history of "cooperation 
and friendship" with the U.S. and underscored his belief in 
the importance of this relationship. He said that he hoped 
for even greater cooperation on regional and international 
issues. Deputy Chairman for Media Tozkoparan added that the 
DP would not lead Turkey into "Islamic rule," and she noted 
that the DP was committed to secular government. Enerem also 
noted his party's support for judicial reform and a new 
constitution, criticizing Erdogan as an autocrat who 
personally makes all of the government's decisions with no 
regard for democracy. 
 
Biographic Note 
--------------- 
 
 
ISTANBUL 00000065  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
6. (SBU) Enerem was born in 1961 and was educated at 
Istanbul's German High School (Alman Lisesi) and Istanbul 
Technical University, where he received degree in the 
Construction and General Sciences Faculty in civil 
engineering.  He began his political career in the True Path 
Party (Dogru Yol Partisi or DYP)-an earlier rendition of 
today's DP-where he was the Istanbul Vice Chairman for Women 
and Youth, Social and Organizational Works in the 4th 
Provincial Chairman term and also served in the provincial 
secretariat. In 1995 he became DYP Istanbul Chairman and was 
later elected to be a member of parliament, where he served 
on the committees for Foreign Relations, Planning and Budget 
and a parliamentary commission on Turkey and the European 
Union. Outside of politics, he has worked in various sectors 
and companies and served as the Yeditepe University General 
Secretary. According to his CV, he speaks German and English. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7. (SBU) Enerem's visit reflects the DP's continuing efforts 
to reach out to us and promote their party's agenda as 
pro-Western and reflecting the concerns of Turkey's voters. 
SONAR poll results from January, however, show the DP as the 
favorite of just 3.89 percent of respondents, down from 4.13 
percent in December. Although the DP-ANAP merger initially 
seemed to brighten the prospects for both parties, that 
luster dimmed quickly and today the combined party still 
polls at well under the national threshold, which bodes 
poorly for DP's chances in the next election. 
WIENER