Cablegate: Demarche On Osce Conference On Racism, Xenophobia

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

010545Z Sep 04

UNCLAS ANKARA 004926

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM TU
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON OSCE CONFERENCE ON RACISM, XENOPHOBIA
AND DISCRIMINATION

REF: STATE 176189

1. (U) Embassy Ankara delivered on August 24 reftel's
requested demarche on the September 13-14 OSCE Conference on
Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination to MFA Human Rights
Department Head Ali Savut.

2. (U) Savut responded that while the GOT concurs the topics
planned for the OSCE Brussels September meeting are
important, Turkey is more concerned about the treatment
accorded to Turkish migrant workers living in Germany and
Europe, in general.

3. (U) Savut confirmed he will accompany Ambassador Omur
Orhun and the Prime Ministry's Human Rights Department Head
Vahit Bicak to the meeting. Discussing the GOT's interest in
the topics, Savut reviewed with us a proposal that he
believes came from the British mission in Vienna to the OSCE
regarding the "non-identification of terrorism from a
specific religion." Savut claimed the Canadian delegation is
in agreement in rejecting links identifying terrorism and
extremism with any "religion, culture, ethnic group,
nationality or race." Savut added that after a delay, the
U.S. delegation also approved the proposal not to identify
terrorism with any one religion.

4. (U) Turkey currently has anti-discrimination laws to
address problems of anti-Semitism, but no laws against hate
crimes. Savut asserted that hate crimes are not a major
issue in Turkey and added that the GOT is currently focused
on revising its penal code to conform to EU standards.
EDELMAN

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