Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME4670
2003-10-14 08:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY CITES ANKARA'S PROGRESS ON EU MEMBERSHIP,

Tags:  TU IT PREL EUN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004670 

SIPDIS


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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2013
TAGS: TU IT PREL EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY CITES ANKARA'S PROGRESS ON EU MEMBERSHIP,
REMAINING OBSTACLES

REF: ANKARA 5566

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004670

SIPDIS


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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2013
TAGS: TU IT PREL EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY CITES ANKARA'S PROGRESS ON EU MEMBERSHIP,
REMAINING OBSTACLES

REF: ANKARA 5566

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


1. (U) ON OCTOBER 8, ITALIAN MFA DIRECTOR FOR AEGEAN ISSUES
GIOVANNI RICCIULLI GAVE POLOFFS A READOUT OF FOREIGN MINISTER
FRANCO FRATTINI'S OCTOBER 1 MEETING WITH TURKISH FOREIGN
MINISTER ABDULLAH GUL IN ROME. RICCIULLI CONVEYED ITALY'S
POSITIVE VIEW OF TURKEY'S PROGRESS TOWARD GAINING EU
MEMBERSHIP, BUT HE NOTED THAT SEVERAL OBSTACLES REMAIN.



2. (C) ACCORDING TO RICCIULLI, GUL CONFIRMED TO FRATTINI
THAT TURKEY WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION
AND RETURN TO STABILITY. FRATTINI EXPRESSED TO GUL HIS
SATISFACTION WITH ANKARA'S INTERNAL REFORMS AND BILATERAL
COOPERATION IN COMBATTING ILLEGAL MIGRATION AND ITS RECENT
CREATION OF A COMMITTEE TO MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS
NECESSARY TO JOIN THE EU. FRATTINI SAID THAT HE WAS HAPPY
TURKEY WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE
(IGC) AND THE DEBATE ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE. GUL STRESSED TO
FRATTINI THAT THE MONITORING COMMITTEE IS A SIGN OF ANKARA'S
COMMITMENT TO JOIN THE EU AND THAT TURKEY HAS REACHED A
"CRITICAL MASS" IN ITS REFORM EFFORTS. FRATTINI REMINDED GUL
OF TWO ISSUES WHERE THE EU STILL HAS CONCERNS: THE
IMPRISONMENT OF KURDISH ACTIVIST AND FORMER MP LEYLA ZANA;
AND THE CLOSURE (SINCE 1971) OF A GREEK ORTHODOX SEMINARY IN
HALKI.


3. (C) GUL INVITED THE EU TO PUT PRESSURE ON TURKISH CYPRIOT
LEADER RAUF DENKTASH BUT ALSO URGED THAT PRESSURE BE BROUGHT
TO BEAR ON THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS. GUL SUGGESTED TO FRATTINI
THAT A FAVORABLE EU REPORT ON TURKEY WOULD REASSURE THE
TURKISH CYPRIOTS AND MOVE THE PEACE PROCESS ALONG. HE
CAUTIONED, HOWEVER, THAT LITTLE PROGRESS WOULD OCCUR IN
CYPRUS UNTIL AFTER THE DECEMBER ELECTIONS.


SEMBLER

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2003ROME04670 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL