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Cablegate: Italian Eu Presidency: Eu-Turkey Troika Readout

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ROME 005278

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TU IT PREL EUN
SUBJECT: ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY: EU-TURKEY TROIKA READOUT

CLASSIFIED BY POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)
AND (D)

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. ON NOVEMBER 13, ITALIAN MFA DIRECTOR FOR
AEGEAN ISSUES GIOVANNI RICCIULLI GAVE POLOFF A READOUT OF THE
NOVEMBER 11 EU-TURKEY TROIKA. RICCIULLI REPORTED THAT THE
MEETINGS HAD A "GOOD ATMOSPHERE" AND THAT TURKEY'S REACTION
TO ITS RECENT EU PROGRESS REPORT WAS "CONSTRUCTIVE AND
HELPFUL." ASKED IF THE EU HAD CONFIDENCE THAT TURKEY WOULD
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO BEGIN ACCESSION
NEGOTIATIONS BY THE END OF 2004, RICCIULLI SQUARELY PUT THE
BURDEN ON TURKEY BUT SAID THAT ITALY WOULD CONTINUE TO HELP
TURKEY MAINTAIN ITS POSITIVE MOMENTUM. END SUMMARY

FIRST EU MESSAGE TO TURKEY: IMPLEMENT NECESSARY REFORMS
--------------------------------------------- ----------

2. (SBU) RICCIULLI SAID THAT FM FRATTINI, ON BEHALF OF THE
ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY, EMPHASIZED TO TURKISH FM GUL THE
IMPORTANCE THE EU HAS PLACED ON TURKEY'S FULFILLMENT OF
REFORMS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EU REQUIREMENTS, PARTICULARLY
TO PASS LAWS ENSURING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND MINORITY RIGHTS.
RICCIULLI SAID THAT THE EU "WARMLY WELCOMED" TURKEY'S NEWLY
INSTITUTED "ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY ON TORTURE." THE EU ALSO
CONVEYED THAT IT EXPECTED TURKEY TO TAKE FURTHER STEPS TO
RATIFY HUMAN RIGHTS PROTOCOLS AND UN CONVENTIONS,
PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY AND TORTURE, TO REFORM
ITS JUDICIAL SYSTEMS SO THAT IT COMPLIES WITH EU STANDARDS,
AND TO ABIDE BY COUNCIL OF EUROPE DECISIONS.

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SECOND MESSAGE: RESOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE
------------------------------------

3. (SBU) RICCIULLI SAID THE EU REITERATED THAT THE ONLY
SOLUTION FOR CYPRUS IS THE ANNAN PLAN AND THAT TURKEY MUST
BEGIN NOW TO EXERT PRESSURE ON NORTHERN CYPRUS. RICCIULLI
SAID THE EU WAS AWARE OF TURKEY'S MISGIVINGS AND THE
SENSITIVITY OF THE MID-DECEMBER ELECTIONS IN CYPRUS BUT
EXPECTED TURKEY TO USE ALL OF ITS INFLUENCE AND STRESSED THE
NEED FOR PROGRESS BY MAY 2004. GUL REPLIED THAT BOTH SIDES
WOULD NEED TO WORK AT IT BUT THAT A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT
COULD BE REACHED BY THEN. THE TROIKA ALSO DISCUSSED THE
MIDDLE EAST, IRAQ, AND ANKARA'S COMMITMENT TO THE
RECONSTRUCTION OF AFGHANISTAN.

POSITIVE MOVES AFOOT IN TURKEY
------------------------------

4. (SBU) IN ADDITION TO THE READOUT OF THE TROIKA, RICCIULLI
RELAYED TO POLOFF SOME POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY. AN
INTERMINISTERIAL BODY, CHAIRMED BY FM GUL, HAS BEEN CREATED
TO ELICIT FEEDBACK FROM THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES ON HOW THE
NEWLY IMPLEMENTED REFORMS ARE BEING RECEIVED--"WHAT'S WORKING
AND WHAT ISN'T." RICCIULLI SAID THE TURKS PLAN TO RESPOND TO
THIS FEEDBACK BY ADOPTING BYLAWS TO IMPROVE ON THE EXISTING
LAWS. ANKARA ALSO HAS BEGUN TO ALLOW RADIO STATIONS TO
BROADCAST IN KURDISH.

SEMBLER



NNNN
2003ROME05278 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

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