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ACTION EB-11
INFO OCT-01 EUR-25 NEA-14 ISO-00 CAB-09 CIAE-00 COME-00
DODE-00 DOTE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 RSC-01 FAA-00 L-03
DRC-01 /075 W
--------------------- 104950
R 091214Z MAY 74
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5162
INFO AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMCONSUL ADANA
AMCONSUL IZMIR
AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE ISTANBUL 1290
BEIRUT FOR RCAA
BRUSSELS FOR FAA
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: ETRN, TU
SUBJ: SHAKEUP IN TURKISH AIRLINES
REF: (A) ISTANBUL A-15; (B) ISTANBUL 923
1. IN A LONG-ANTICIPATED MOVE (SEE REFS. A AND B) THE
TURKISH AIRLINES (THY) BOARD WAS REPLACED AT A SPECIAL
MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLDERS ON MAY 2. AGASI SEN, A
RETIRED AIR FORCE COLONEL AND FORMER THY GENERAL MANAGER,
WAS NAMED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND ERHAN ISIL, A FORMER
TREASURY DIRECTOR GENERAL IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ONE OF
THE THY AUDITORS, WAS APPOINTED VICE CHAIRMAN. ROUNDING OUT
THE FIVE-MEMBER BOARD WERE PROFESSOR FAHIR TERIZOGLU
(PROF. OF AVIATION AT ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY), AHMET
OZTURK (RETIRED AIR FORCE COLONEL) AND RECAI KUTAN (GENERAL
MANAGER OF TUMAS).
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2. REPORTEDLY THE FIRST ACTION OF THE NEW BOARD WAS TO FIRE THE
LONGTIME DEPUTY GEN. MGR. SUPHI ISCEN AND TO APPOINT NEW
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS. HOWEVER, TWO WERE HELD OVER FROM
THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION (UNSAL, TECHNICAL; AND COBANOGLY,
FINANCE), ALTHOUGH ONLY IN AN "ACTING" CAPACITY. MAHMUT
MARSAN, ASST. GEN. MGR. FOR PLANNING AND COORDINATION, HAS
BEEN NAMED ACTING GENERAL MANAGER. IT IS EXPECTED THAT AGASI
SEN WILL EVENTUALLY TAKE OVER AS GENERAL MANAGER WHICH WOULD
CONSOLIDATE POLCIY DIRECTION AND OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF
THE AIRLINE IN HIS HANDS.
3. COMMENT: AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, CHANGES IN THY
BOARD AND APPOINTMENT SEN AS CHAIRMAN
HAD BEEN EXPECTED. ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL CHANGES WERE NO
DOUBT GIVEN IMPETUS BY DISASTROUS DC-10 CRASH IN PARIS.
ALL BUT ONE OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HAD AVAITION
EXPERIENCE, PROBABLY THE RESULT OF EXTENSIVE CRITICISM THAT
FORMER BOARDS WERE MADE UP PRIMARILY OF POLITICIANS AND
BUSINESSMEN.
MACE
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