SLOVAKIA ON TURKISH ACCESSION: "YES, BUT"

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000660 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2010 TAGS: PREL EU TU LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA ON TURKISH ACCESSION: "YES, BUT" REF: STATE 150087 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lawrence R. Silverman for reason s 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) On August 16, Deputy Chief of Mission raised reftel issue of Turkish EU accession with MFA Director for Common Foreign and Security Policy Anna Turenicova and European Correspondent Lubomir Rehak. Turenicova explained that within the EU there were three camps on Turkish accession: "yes," "no," and "yes, but..." Slovakia was and still is in the "yes, but" category. This means that Slovakia supports eventual full membership in the EU for Turkey, but will insist on fulfillment of all conditions in the strictest sense. She said that the statement of non-recognition of Cyprus which Turkey issued when signing the extension protocol was not helpful. Rehak added that it was unimaginable that a state wishing to join the EU would continue to refuse to recognize an EU member. DCM reminded both of Turkey's forthcoming position on a Cyprus settlement and the GOT's imminent expansion of the customs union to Cyprus. Turinicova told DCM that the COREPER meeting on Turkey had been postponed until September 7, and in her opinion the continual postponement was not a solution. Member states needed to discuss Turkey and agree on a common position soon. ¶2. (C) Rehak said that it was unfortunate that the timing led to a linkage between Turkish and Croatian accession talks in the minds of the Slovak public. It would be unpalatable to Slovaks if Turkey were to start talks while Croatia was still on hold. He asked if we had any information about ICTY's upcoming evaluation of Croatia's progress. ¶3. (C) Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey Ali Tuygan meets with MFA State Secretary Jozsef Berenyi August 17 in Bratislava. DCM met with the Turkish DCM August 16 to encourage Tuygan to stress what the GOT had done on Cyprus and internal reforms. The Turks will provide us a readout of the Tuygan meeting. Slovak PolDir Miroslav Lajcak also plans an October visit to Turkey for consultations. VALLEE NNNN