ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY: EU-TURKEY TROIKA READOUT

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. 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