Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA6844
2003-11-03 11:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKISH CYPRIOT ELECTION CONCERNS: ROUND FOUR:
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006844
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2013
TAGS: CY GR PGOV PHUM PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH CYPRIOT ELECTION CONCERNS: ROUND FOUR:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED
REF: STATE 303498
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.5
(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006844
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2013
TAGS: CY GR PGOV PHUM PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH CYPRIOT ELECTION CONCERNS: ROUND FOUR:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED
REF: STATE 303498
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.5
(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: In response to reftel demarche, MFA DirGen
for Northeastern Mediterranean Affairs to Ertugrul Apakan
asserted that GOT intervention with the Turkish Cypriot "High
Election Board" (HEB) would be improper. However, he would
convey the demarche to higher levels of the MFA; in his
opinion it could be conveyed to "TRNC" political authorities.
Apakan accused U.S. representatives of manipulating the
December 14 elections. End Summary.
GOT: We Warned TRNC About New Citizens....
2. (C) In an October 31 call to deliver reftel demarche, DCM
emphasized the importance of fair elections and USG concern
with new "TRNC citizens" being added to voter rolls. The USG
thought the best solution to concerns about voter rolls would
be to limit them to persons registered to vote in the 2002
elections and persons newly eligible to vote by virtue of
having turned 18. The USG hoped that the GOT shared this
perspective and would tell Turkish Cypriot authorities this
was the solution the GOT thought best.
3. (C) Apakan asserted that the GOT wanted the December
elections to be free and fair. He claimed the GOT had
"warned" the "TRNC" about the new grants of citizenship,
telling them this was the wrong time to grant them. Denktash
had opposed the new citizenship grants and government parties
had lost 4-5% in the polls because of the issue. However,
Apakan claimed the new citizenships were the result of a
processing backlog; according to "TRNC" law the applicants
were entitled to citizenship.
GOT Will Talk to TRNC, But Not to HEB
4. (C) Apakan disagreed that Turkey should be "blamed" for
non-democratic practices in the "TRNC." "TRNC" officials
acted independently from Turkey, Turkey did not interfere
with the "TRNC," and would not "interfere" with the "HEB," he
averred. His "first reaction" to the demarche was that it
was a request to interfere with "HEB judges." He said he
would convey the demarche to higher levels of the MFA, adding
that his opinion was that it could be conveyed to "TRNC
political authorities," but not to the "HEB." MFA Cyprus
Department head Levent Bilman, also present at the meeting,
worried that the demarche request could be perceived as GOT
support for the CTP, which had filed the suit asking that
voter lists be limited to previous voters and those who had
turned 18.
5. (C) DCM noted there was a broad perception that some
Turkish institutions and individuals had taken a role in the
"TRNC" elections and the GOT needed to make its position
clear on the voter list issue. Moreover, whether Turkey
agreed or not, many in the international community would hold
Turkey responsible for events in the "TRNC."
MFA Claims U.S. Manipulating Elections
6. (C) Apakan replied that "you are telling us some groups
are manipulating the elections. You are doing the same." He
claimed there was "an impression in Ankara" that U.S.
representatives were trying to influence elections. U.S.
representatives were going to villages, discussing the Annan
Plan, and giving advice. DCM replied that discussing the
Annan Plan did not constitute interference or manipulation,
and that U.S. officials would continue to do so.
Citizenship Numbers, According to the MFA
7. (C) Apakan said the "TRNC" normally granted 1500-1800 new
citizenships annually. According to the MFA, the "TRNC" had
granted about 53,000 citizenships from 1973 through the
beginning of 2003; it had granted 1904 citizenships so far in
2003. In January and February, there were 30-plus new
citizenship grants each month; in October there were
130-plus. Bilman claimed that the difference between 2002
and expectations of normal growth to the 2003 voter rolls
amounted to only about 2500 new citizens, which he argued was
not a significant departure from the normal trend line of new
citizenships.
EDELMAN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2013
TAGS: CY GR PGOV PHUM PREL TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH CYPRIOT ELECTION CONCERNS: ROUND FOUR:
DEMARCHE DELIVERED
REF: STATE 303498
(U) Classified by DCM Robert Deutsch, E.O. 12958, reasons 1.5
(b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: In response to reftel demarche, MFA DirGen
for Northeastern Mediterranean Affairs to Ertugrul Apakan
asserted that GOT intervention with the Turkish Cypriot "High
Election Board" (HEB) would be improper. However, he would
convey the demarche to higher levels of the MFA; in his
opinion it could be conveyed to "TRNC" political authorities.
Apakan accused U.S. representatives of manipulating the
December 14 elections. End Summary.
GOT: We Warned TRNC About New Citizens....
2. (C) In an October 31 call to deliver reftel demarche, DCM
emphasized the importance of fair elections and USG concern
with new "TRNC citizens" being added to voter rolls. The USG
thought the best solution to concerns about voter rolls would
be to limit them to persons registered to vote in the 2002
elections and persons newly eligible to vote by virtue of
having turned 18. The USG hoped that the GOT shared this
perspective and would tell Turkish Cypriot authorities this
was the solution the GOT thought best.
3. (C) Apakan asserted that the GOT wanted the December
elections to be free and fair. He claimed the GOT had
"warned" the "TRNC" about the new grants of citizenship,
telling them this was the wrong time to grant them. Denktash
had opposed the new citizenship grants and government parties
had lost 4-5% in the polls because of the issue. However,
Apakan claimed the new citizenships were the result of a
processing backlog; according to "TRNC" law the applicants
were entitled to citizenship.
GOT Will Talk to TRNC, But Not to HEB
4. (C) Apakan disagreed that Turkey should be "blamed" for
non-democratic practices in the "TRNC." "TRNC" officials
acted independently from Turkey, Turkey did not interfere
with the "TRNC," and would not "interfere" with the "HEB," he
averred. His "first reaction" to the demarche was that it
was a request to interfere with "HEB judges." He said he
would convey the demarche to higher levels of the MFA, adding
that his opinion was that it could be conveyed to "TRNC
political authorities," but not to the "HEB." MFA Cyprus
Department head Levent Bilman, also present at the meeting,
worried that the demarche request could be perceived as GOT
support for the CTP, which had filed the suit asking that
voter lists be limited to previous voters and those who had
turned 18.
5. (C) DCM noted there was a broad perception that some
Turkish institutions and individuals had taken a role in the
"TRNC" elections and the GOT needed to make its position
clear on the voter list issue. Moreover, whether Turkey
agreed or not, many in the international community would hold
Turkey responsible for events in the "TRNC."
MFA Claims U.S. Manipulating Elections
6. (C) Apakan replied that "you are telling us some groups
are manipulating the elections. You are doing the same." He
claimed there was "an impression in Ankara" that U.S.
representatives were trying to influence elections. U.S.
representatives were going to villages, discussing the Annan
Plan, and giving advice. DCM replied that discussing the
Annan Plan did not constitute interference or manipulation,
and that U.S. officials would continue to do so.
Citizenship Numbers, According to the MFA
7. (C) Apakan said the "TRNC" normally granted 1500-1800 new
citizenships annually. According to the MFA, the "TRNC" had
granted about 53,000 citizenships from 1973 through the
beginning of 2003; it had granted 1904 citizenships so far in
2003. In January and February, there were 30-plus new
citizenship grants each month; in October there were
130-plus. Bilman claimed that the difference between 2002
and expectations of normal growth to the 2003 voter rolls
amounted to only about 2500 new citizens, which he argued was
not a significant departure from the normal trend line of new
citizenships.
EDELMAN