VATICAN OPEN TO TURKEY'S EU BID

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VATICAN 001164

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/WE: LEVIN; EUR/SE; EUR/ERA; DRL/IRF: ABRAMSON;
G/TIP: ETERNO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2014
TAGS: EU PHUM PREL SOCI TU VT
SUBJECT: VATICAN OPEN TO TURKEY'S EU BID

REF: A. VATICAN 252


B. STATE 59846

CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) HOLY SEE COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR TURKEY JAN PAWLOWSKI
REAFFIRMED MARCH 5 THE VATICAN'S OPENNESS TO TURKISH EU
MEMBERSHIP, DESPITE THE IMPRESSION OF OPPOSITION GENERATED BY
THE HOLY SEE'S CONTINUED EFFORTS TO INTERJECT A REFERENCE TO
EUROPE'S CHRISTIAN ROOTS IN THE EU CONSTITUTION.
NEVERTHELESS, THE HOLY SEE HAS CONTINUING CONCERNS WITH
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN TURKEY, PARTICULARLY THE LACK OF
JURIDICAL STATUS FOR THE EXERCISE OF RELIGIOUS RIGHTS. THE
POPE REINFORCED THESE CONCERNS WHEN THE NEW TURKISH
AMBASSADOR PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS THIS MONTH. AMBASSADOR
DURAK SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
WAS NOW "THE MAIN ISSUE" IN TURKEY-HOLY SEE RELATIONS, BUT HE
MAINTAINED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT TREATED ADHERENTS ALL FAITHS
EQUALLY, AND WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION. THE VATICAN HAS TOLD
US PRIVATELY THAT TURKEY WOULD SATISFY THE HOLY SEE'S
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CONCERNS BY FULLY MEETING THE EU'S
COPENHAGEN CRITERIA. SUCH STEPS, COUPLED WITH THE HOLY SEE'S
GROWING INTEREST IN OUTREACH TO THE MUSLIM WORLD AND ITS
ONGOING CALLS FOR RELIGIOUS UNDERSTANDING, MAKE IT UNLIKELY
THAT THE HOLY SEE WILL VOICE ANY OPPOSITION TO TURKEY'S
CANDIDACY. END SUMMARY.

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TURKEY: COMPATIBLE WITH THE EU?
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2. (SBU) HOLY SEE COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR TURKEY JAN PAWLOWSKI
TOLD US MARCH 5 THAT THE HOLY SEE HAD NO OBJECTIONS TO EU
MEMBERSHIP FOR TURKEY, AS LONG AS THE GOT FULLY SATISFIED THE
EU'S COPENHAGEN CRITERIA ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. CONCERNS
ABOUT THE VATICAN'S POSITION SURFACED LAST YEAR WHEN THEN
VATICAN FOREIGN MINISTER JEAN-LOUIS TAURAN SUGGESTED THERE
SHOULD BE GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITATIONS ON EUROPE, IMPLYING THAT
TURKEY SHOULD NOT MAKE THE CUT FOR EU EXPANSION. TAURAN HAD
ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF EUROPEAN (READ: CHRISTIAN)
VALUES IN THE NEW EUROPE. A SUBSEQUENT VATICAN STATEMENT
LINKING A LACK OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN TURKEY TO ITS EU
CANDIDACY, COUPLED WITH THE POPE'S CONTINUING CALLS FOR
RECOGNITION OF THE CHRISTIAN ROOTS OF EUROPE IN THE NEW
EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION LED MANY TO BELIEVE THE HOLY SEE WAS
OPPOSED TO TURKEY'S EU BID.

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RELIGIOUS FREEDOM THE ISSUE - NOT GEOGRAPHY OR ISLAM
-------------- --------------


3. (C) PAWLOWSKI REAFFIRMED TO US WHAT TAURAN TOLD THE
AMBASSADOR AFTER THE ISSUE CAME UP IN MAY: AS FAR AS THE
VATICAN IS CONCERNED, TURKEY IS "ENTITLED TO JOIN THE EU,"
BUT IT SHOULD FIRST IMPROVE ITS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND HUMAN
RIGHTS RECORD. ACCORDING TO PAWLOWSKI, THE VATICAN WAS NEVER
OPPOSED TO TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP, AND ITS GEOGRAPHY AND
PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM POPULATION WERE NOT DISQUALIFIERS IN THE
HOLY SEE'S EYES. BUT, HE EXPLAINED, THE HOLY SEE WAS -- AND
REMAINS -- CONCERNED ABOUT A LACK OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR
CHRISTIANS IN TURKEY. PAWLOWSKI SAID THE HOLY SEE "THOUGHT
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO RAISE THE ISSUE" BECAUSE RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM IS AN IMPORTANT VALUE FOR THE EU. "MEMBER STATES
SHOULD BE AWARE IF A CANDIDATE COUNTRY IS COMING UP SHORT,"
HE EXPLAINED. AFTER MAKING MEMBER STATES AWARE OF THEIR
PERCEPTIONS OF CURRENT HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
SHORTCOMINGS, PAWLOWSKI SAID THE HOLY SEE DIDN'T SEE ITSELF
IN ANY WAY AS A FINL ARBITER OF EU MEMBERSHIP. THE VATICAN
KNOWS HE SAID, THE OVERALL ISSUE IS ULTIMATELY "NOT FORUS
TO DECIDE."

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CHRISTIAN ROOTS, MULTI-RELIGIOUS SOCIET
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4. (C) PAWLOWSKI INSISTED THAT ONE COULD RECOGNIZE TH
CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE IN EUROPE'S PAST AND ITS CURENT
RELEVANCE WHILE STILL ENCOURAGING A HARMONIOS MULTI-ETHNIC,
MULTI-RELIGIOUS EUROPEAN SOCIETY "THE HOLY FATHER HAS
ALWAYS SAID THAT EUROPEANSOCIETY MUST BE INCLUSIVE, AND
WELCOME THE STRANER," HE SAID. PAWLOWSKI CONTENDS HAT THIS
INCLUSIVITY HOLDS TRUE FOR THE ACCESSIONOF A PRIMARILY
MUSLIM NATION LIKE TURKEY INTO TH EU, AS MUCH AS IT WOULD
FOR INDIVIDUAL IMMIGRANS OF ALL FAITHS. (COMMENT: THE HOLY
SEE FINDS TSELF IN A DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT HERE. PAPAL

VATICAN 00001164 002.1 OF 003

NOTABLE GAP" BETWEEN
EUROPEAN CULTURE, WITH ITS PROFOUND CHRISTIAN ROOTS, AND
MUSLIM THOUGHT. WHILE THE HOLY SEE MAY BE "OPEN" TO ISLAM
AND WANT TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN
EUROPE, IT IS ALSO NOT EAGER TO SEE ITS MORAL INFLUENCE IN
ITS BACKYARD DILUTED FURTHER THAN IT ALREADY HAS BEEN. THE
VATICAN'S GOAL IS AN OPEN, MULTI-RELIGIOUS, AND TOLERANT
EUROPE IN WHICH THE HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO HAVE AN INFLUENTIAL
MORAL AND CULTURAL VOICE. END COMMENT.)


5. (C) FOR NOW, ACCORDING TO PAWLOWSKI, TURKEY STILL HAS A
LOT OF WORK TO DO ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. HE SAID THE HOLY SEE
HAS HEARD MANY PROMISES, BUT LITTLE ACTION FROM THE GOT, AND
NOTED THAT THE POPE HAD RAISED RELIGIOUS LIBERTY WHEN THE NEW
TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE, OSMAN DURAK, PRESENTED
HIS CREDENTIALS RECENTLY. THE POPE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE
PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY WERE ENSHRINED IN THE TURKISH
CONSTITUTION, BUT SAID THAT SUCH GUARANTEES ONLY BECAME TRULY
RELEVANT "ONCE THEY HAVE BECOME PART OF ORDINARY LEGISLATION
AND THEREFORE OF THE LIVING FABRIC OF SOCIETY." HE ADDED
THAT HE LOOKED FORWARD TO "RECOGNITION ON THE PART OF THE
TURKISH AUTHORITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF THE CHURCH'S
JURIDICAL STATUS" IN TURKEY. THE POPE STRESSED THAT THE
CHURCH DID NOT "SEEK SPECIAL PRIVILEGES OR PREFERENTIAL
TREATMENT," BUT MERELY FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS. PAWLOWSKI TOLD US
THAT THE RIGHTS AT ISSUE WERE OFTEN THOSE RELATING TO
PROPERTY; HE GAVE AS AN EXAMPLE A CONTINUING DISPUTE
INVOLVING SOME FRENCH PRIESTS IN TURKEY WHO HAD BEEN STRIPPED
OF THEIR LAND BY A TURKISH COURT.

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RELIGIOUS FREEDOM KEY ISSUE FOR TURKISH AMBASSADOR
-------------- --------------


6. (C) THE AMBASSADOR RAISED THE ISSUE OF THE VATICAN'S
ATTITUDE TO TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION WITH TURKISH AMBASSADOR
DURAK WHEN THE LATTER PAID AN OFFICE CALL MARCH 15. DURAK
SAID HE HAD PRESSED TURKEY'S EUROPEAN CREDENTIALS WHEN HE
FIRST MET THE POPE IN FEBRUARY, NOTING THAT HIS COUNTRY'S
EUROPEAN LAND MASS WAS GREATER THAN THAT OF BELGIUM. DURAK
SAID THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ISSUE WAS NOW THE CENTRAL THEME OF
THE TURKEY-HOLY SEE RELATIONSHIP. HE INSISTED THAT RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM WAS ALREADY GUARANTEED BY THE TURKISH CONSTITUTION,
BUT THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WANTED LEGAL MEANS TO SECURE AND
PROTECT PROPERTY AND "EXPAND THEIR HOLDINGS." ACCORDING TO
DURAK, THE GOT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE THE VATICAN
EVERYTHING IT WANTS WITHOUT "REWRITING THE CONSTITUTION,"
BUT WITH "SOME ADJUSTMENTS" TO CURRENT REGULATIONS WAS HOPING
TO FIND COMMON GROUND. DURAK'S DEPUTY TOLD DCM EARLIER THIS
YEAR THAT THE LEGAL PROTECTIONS THE HOLY SEE IS SEEKING WERE
ALSO NOT PROVIDED TO MUSLIM GROUPS BECAUSE OF THE SECULAR
NATURE OF THE TURKISH CONSTITUTION.

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TIP AND SAUDI SLAVERY
--------------


7. (C) DURING THE COURTESY CALL, THE AMBASSADOR ALSO BRIEFED
DURAK ON THE EMBASSY'S ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROGRAMS, ENCOURAGING
HIM TO ENGAGE WITH THE HOLY SEE'S DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY ON THE
EFFORT. HE NOTED THE RECENT G/TIP/EMBASSY VATICAN INITIATIVE
TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF PAPAL NUNCIOS AND BISHOPS'
CONFERENCES AROUND THE WORLD ON THE ISSUE, AND THE SUCCESS OF
THE RECENTLY-LAUNCHED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR
MIGRATION (IOM) PROGRAM DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP OF THE
EMBASSY AND WITH PRM FUNDING (REF B). DURAK SEEMED RECEPTIVE
ON THE ISSUE, AND SAID HE HAD SEEN SUCH "HUMAN SLAVERY" WHEN
HE WAS AMBASSADOR IN SAUDI ARABIA FROM 2001-2004. HE
ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE SOME 6 MILLION FOREIGN WORKERS THERE
FROM VARIOUS NATIONS WHO ARE EFFECTIVELY SLAVES, WITH LITTLE
OR NO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. ACCORDING TO DURAK, SOME OF THESE
PEOPLE ARE NEVER ABLE TO EARN THE MONEY NECESSARY TO LEAVE
SAUDI ARABIA AND RETURN HOME, WHILE OTHERS ARE ACTUALLY HELD
-- ALMOST PHYSICALLY -- AGAINST THEIR WILL.

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COMMENT: VATICAN WARY BUT WELCOMING
--------------


8. (C) THE HOLY SEE CANNOT HELP BUT BE WARY OF THE PROSPECT
OF TURKEY'S LARGE ISLAMIC POPULATION ENTERING INTO GREATER
EUROPE. ITS BATTLE AGAINST ENCROACHING SECULARISM ON THE
CONTINENT IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH WITHOUT OPENING AN AMBIGUOUS
SECOND FRONT AGAINST A COMPETING RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.
NEVERTHELESS, THE HOLY SEE'S POSITION ON TURKEY'S EU BID IS
CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONSTANT MESSAGE OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS
TOLERANCE; THE VATICAN CANNOT STAND IN THE WAY OF A POLITICAL
DECISION IN FAVOR OF TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP ON RELIGIOUS OR

VATICAN 00001164 002.2 OF 003

NOTABLE GAP" BETWEEN
EUROPEAN CULTURE, WITH ITS PROFOUND CHRISTIAN ROOTS, AND
MUSLIM THOUGHT. WHILE THE HOLY SEE MAY BE "OPEN" TO ISLAM
AND WANT TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN
EUROPE, IT IS ALSO NOT EAGER TO SEE ITS MORAL INFLUENCE IN
ITS BACKYARD DILUTED FURTHER THAN IT ALREADY HAS BEEN. THE
VATICAN'S GOAL IS AN OPEN, MULTI-RELIGIOUS, AND TOLERANT
EUROPE IN WHICH THE HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO HAVE AN INFLUENTIAL
MORAL AND CULTURAL VOICE. END COMMENT.)


5. (C) FOR NOW, ACCORDING TO PAWLOWSKI, TURKEY STILL HAS A
LOT OF WORK TO DO ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. HE SAID THE HOLY SEE
HAS HEARD MANY PROMISES, BUT LITTLE ACTION FROM THE GOT, AND
NOTED THAT THE POPE HAD RAISED RELIGIOUS LIBERTY WHEN THE NEW
TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE, OSMAN DURAK, PRESENTED
HIS CREDENTIALS RECENTLY. THE POPE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE
PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY WERE ENSHRINED IN THE TURKISH
CONSTITUTION, BUT SAID THAT SUCH GUARANTEES ONLY BECAME TRULY
RELEVANT "ONCE THEY HAVE BECOME PART OF ORDINARY LEGISLATION
AND THEREFORE OF THE LIVING FABRIC OF SOCIETY." HE ADDED
THAT HE LOOKED FORWARD TO "RECOGNITION ON THE PART OF THE
TURKISH AUTHORITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF THE CHURCH'S
JURIDICAL STATUS" IN TURKEY. THE POPE STRESSED THAT THE
CHURCH DID NOT "SEEK SPECIAL PRIVILEGES OR PREFERENTIAL
TREATMENT," BUT MERELY FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS. PAWLOWSKI TOLD US
THAT THE RIGHTS AT ISSUE WERE OFTEN THOSE RELATING TO
PROPERTY; HE GAVE AS AN EXAMPLE A CONTINUING DISPUTE
INVOLVING SOME FRENCH PRIESTS IN TURKEY WHO HAD BEEN STRIPPED
OF THEIR LAND BY A TURKISH COURT.

-------------- --------------
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM KEY ISSUE FOR TURKISH AMBASSADOR
-------------- --------------


6. (C) THE AMBASSADOR RAISED THE ISSUE OF THE VATICAN'S
ATTITUDE TO TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION WITH TURKISH AMBASSADOR
DURAK WHEN THE LATTER PAID AN OFFICE CALL MARCH 15. DURAK
SAID HE HAD PRESSED TURKEY'S EUROPEAN CREDENTIALS WHEN HE
FIRST MET THE POPE IN FEBRUARY, NOTING THAT HIS COUNTRY'S
EUROPEAN LAND MASS WAS GREATER THAN THAT OF BELGIUM. DURAK
SAID THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ISSUE WAS NOW THE CENTRAL THEME OF
THE TURKEY-HOLY SEE RELATIONSHIP. HE INSISTED THAT RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM WAS ALREADY GUARANTEED BY THE TURKISH CONSTITUTION,
BUT THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WANTED LEGAL MEANS TO SECURE AND
PROTECT PROPERTY AND "EXPAND THEIR HOLDINGS." ACCORDING TO
DURAK, THE GOT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE THE VATICAN
EVERYTHING IT WANTS WITHOUT "REWRITING THE CONSTITUTION,"
BUT WITH "SOME ADJUSTMENTS" TO CURRENT REGULATIONS WAS HOPING
TO FIND COMMON GROUND. DURAK'S DEPUTY TOLD DCM EARLIER THIS
YEAR THAT THE LEGAL PROTECTIONS THE HOLY SEE IS SEEKING WERE
ALSO NOT PROVIDED TO MUSLIM GROUPS BECAUSE OF THE SECULAR
NATURE OF THE TURKISH CONSTITUTION.

--------------
TIP AND SAUDI SLAVERY
--------------


7. (C) DURING THE COURTESY CALL, THE AMBASSADOR ALSO BRIEFED
DURAK ON THE EMBASSY'S ANTI-TRAFFICKING PROGRAMS, ENCOURAGING
HIM TO ENGAGE WITH THE HOLY SEE'S DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY ON THE
EFFORT. HE NOTED THE RECENT G/TIP/EMBASSY VATICAN INITIATIVE
TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF PAPAL NUNCIOS AND BISHOPS'
CONFERENCES AROUND THE WORLD ON THE ISSUE, AND THE SUCCESS OF
THE RECENTLY-LAUNCHED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR
MIGRATION (IOM) PROGRAM DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP OF THE
EMBASSY AND WITH PRM FUNDING (REF B). DURAK SEEMED RECEPTIVE
ON THE ISSUE, AND SAID HE HAD SEEN SUCH "HUMAN SLAVERY" WHEN
HE WAS AMBASSADOR IN SAUDI ARABIA FROM 2001-2004. HE
ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE SOME 6 MILLION FOREIGN WORKERS THERE
FROM VARIOUS NATIONS WHO ARE EFFECTIVELY SLAVES, WITH LITTLE
OR NO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. ACCORDING TO DURAK, SOME OF THESE
PEOPLE ARE NEVER ABLE TO EARN THE MONEY NECESSARY TO LEAVE
SAUDI ARABIA AND RETURN HOME, WHILE OTHERS ARE ACTUALLY HELD
-- ALMOST PHYSICALLY -- AGAINST THEIR WILL.

--------------
COMMENT: VATICAN WARY BUT WELCOMING
--------------


8. (C) THE HOLY SEE CANNOT HELP BUT BE WARY OF THE PROSPECT
OF TURKEY'S LARGE ISLAMIC POPULATION ENTERING INTO GREATER
EUROPE. ITS BATTLE AGAINST ENCROACHING SECULARISM ON THE
CONTINENT IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH WITHOUT OPENING AN AMBIGUOUS
SECOND FRONT AGAINST A COMPETING RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE.
NEVERTHELESS, THE HOLY SEE'S POSITION ON TURKEY'S EU BID IS
CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONSTANT MESSAGE OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS
TOLERANCE; THE VATICAN CANNOT STAND IN THE WAY OF A POLITICAL
DECISION IN FAVOR OF TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP ON RELIGIOUS OR

VATICAN 00001164 003 OF 003

NFLUENCE WITHIN A EUROPE
WITH INCREASINGLY FEEBLE CHRISTIAN ROOTS, THE HOLY SEE WILL
NOT PROVIDE COVER FOR XENOPHOBIC OPPOSITION TO TURKEY'S
CANDIDACY WHEN THE DEBATE HEATS UP. IF TURKEY DOES
EVENTUALLY JOIN THE EU, THE HOLY SEE CAN BE COUNTED ON TO ACT
AS A FORCE FOR RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY
COUNTING ON ITS EU MEMBERSHIP TO PROTECT CHRISTIAN RIGHTS AND
INTERESTS IN TURKEY.

NICHOLSON

NNNN

2004VATICA01164 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL