ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH INVITES PRESIDENT BUSH TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005547 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, NSC FOR AMB. FRIED, OVP FOR VICTORIA NULAND E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2008 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL TU SUBJECT: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH INVITES PRESIDENT BUSH TO VISIT Classified by Ambassador Eric S. Edelman; Reasons: 1.5 b and d. ¶1. (C) Summary: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will travel to New York in March 2004, hopes he could also see President Bush in Washington then. He wants to invite the President to visit the Patriarchate when he is in Istanbul at the May 2004 NATO Summit. The Patriarch characterized his Aug. 28 meeting with P.M. Erdogan as good and expressed optimism about the prospects of improved Ecumenical Patriarchate-GOT relations; Patriarchate lawyers, however, are much more cautious. Ambassador said he will urge the GOT to resolve disputes with the Patriarchate, including reopening of Halki Seminary, in advance of upcoming NATO Summit and EU decisions. End Summary. ¶2. (C) During an August 28 meeting with the Ambassador, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said he would be "honored" if the President could visit the Patriarchate, even briefly, when he is in Istanbul for the May 2004 NATO Summit. Such a visit would send an "important message in many directions" about U.S. support for religious freedom. The Ambassador said he will make sure the President is aware of the invitation. ¶3. (U) The Patriarch said he will travel in March to New York, where he will help inaugurate an exhibition on Byzantium at the Metropolitan Museum and meet with leaders of the American Greek Orthodox community; he would be pleased to travel to Washington if there were an opportunity to call on the President. ¶4. (C) The Patriarch said he emerged from his August 28 meeting with PM Erdogan "hopeful and optimistic" about prospects for improving relations between the Patriarchate and the GOT. He called Erdogan "a man of good will" and said he believes the P.M. sincerely wants close relations with the Patriarchate and the U.S. Erdogan listened without substantial comment to the Patriarch's concerns regarding Greek Orthodox Church properties in Turkey, and the Patriarch gave Erdogan a 16-page letter detailing the legal problems facing the Church. Noting Erdogan's commitment to EU-related reform, the Patriarch said he expects concrete improvements in relations with the GOT "in the near future." At the same time, the Patriarch agreed with two lawyers accompanying him that words and promises come easily in Turkey, that the Patriarchate has heard sweet words before, and that the test will be whether Erdogan and the GOT are committed to putting words into action. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador said he will work hard in pursuit of solutions to the challenges facing the Greek Orthodox Church in Turkey. Before beginning his assignment in Ankara, he said, he met American Greek Orthodox leaders and members of Congress to discuss the various problems relating to the Ecumenical Patriarchate's legal status, including its inability to open the Halki Seminary. These problems extend beyond Turkey, affecting all of Orthodoxy. ¶6. (C) The NATO Summit and the upcoming EU summits and progress reports provide a window of opportunity to press for GOT reform, the Ambassador continued. Turkey wants to improve relations with the U.S. in the run-up to the NATO Summit, and to advance its EU candidacy -- two goals the U.S. supports. The Ambassador said he will urge the GOT to realize that resolving its disputes with the Patriarchate will contribute to both goals. EDELMAN