GAERC ISSUES: CODE OF CONDUCT STRONG ENOUGH;

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000923

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2014
TAGS: PREL PARM CH LY TU EU LO
SUBJECT: GAERC ISSUES: CODE OF CONDUCT STRONG ENOUGH;
POLICY ON TURKEY UNDEFINED

REF: A. STATE 214023


B. BRATISLAVA 909

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Weiser for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) In response to points raised from ref A, MFA European
Correspondent Lubomir Rehak on October 6 told polec chief
that the EU was strengthening the code of conduct regarding
arms sales to make it more effective than in the past. He
said member states were confident that it would suffice to
prevent inappropriate arms sales to both China and Libya. He
did not respond to arguments that lifting the embargoes would
send the wrong messages to China, to Libya, and to arms
dealers.


2. (C) Polec Chief used the opportunity to ask for a comment
on Slovak politicians' recent statements of strong
reservations about Turkish EU accession (ref B). Rehak said
that before October 1, the MFA talking point was that Turkey
would be welcome to join the EU once it fulfilled all the
requirements. On the other hand, several Slovak political
parties have strong ties with other conservative parties in
the EU, who have been consistent in expressing strong
opposition to Turkish membership. Prime Minister Dzurinda
and Foreign Minister Kukan had made their statement on Turkey
from the SDKU party headquarters "in their role as
politicians, not as statesmen." Rehak believed the door was
still open for a compromise that would set a date for
negotiations to begin with Turkey, but which would allow the
process to stop if Turkey failed to make the expected
progress. In other words, if Turkey did not fulfill all the
criteria, it would not be guaranteed EU membership. Rehak
said that the MFA would soon draft a "government position,"
which would be sent to the cabinet for approval. Then it
would go to Parliament for approval, at which point
Parliament would mandate the position which the MFA should
take on Turkey in December. (Comment: This would be one of
the first test cases of the new law requiring the MFA to
follow Parliament's instructions on issues before the EU.
Although cumbersome, it would provide wide political cover
for government leaders. End comment.)


3. (U) After the European Commission's report on Turkey was
made public October 6, Prime Minister Dzurinda's SDKU party
released a press statement calling the report a useful
starting point for Decmber's EU summit discussions. It
recognized Turkey's progress, as well as doubts about
fulfilling all the necessary criteria in practice. It
questioned the EU's absorbative capacity. The press
statement emphasized as key that beginning negotiations was
not tantamount to a commitment to accept Turkey as a member
and noted that the Commission's stance was consistent with
that of SDKU. SDKU confirmed that it would begin a poitical
discussion among domestic political parties in the interest
of reaching a wide consensus.


WEISER


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