ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: OCTOBER 3 PROVIDES NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 001766 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015 TAGS: PHUM PGOV TU SUBJECT: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH: OCTOBER 3 PROVIDES NEW CONTEXT FOR MINISTER CELIK'S HALKI REMARKS REF: A. ISTANBUL 1680 ¶B. ISTANBUL 1579 ¶C. 04 ISTANBUL 975 ¶D. 04 ANKARA 6229 Classified By: U.S. CONSUL GENERAL DEBORAH K. JONES FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew told CG October 9 that he was optimistic regarding Education Minister Celik's remarks to Milliyet newspaper last week that he would "open the (Halki) seminary overnight" if it were up to him. Bartholomew acknowledged the Minister's having uttered similar phrases in the past. He considered his remarks more significant this time, however, viewed in the context of October 3 and Istanbul's recent hosting of a conference on the Armenian question (ref a) and its earlier photo exhibit re-examining the anti-Greek riots of 1955 (ref b). Bartholomew averred that "Turkey is entering a new phase, positive changes are taking place" and suggested that the Minister's remarks were being floated to test public opinion prior to taking any big steps. Nonetheless, the Ecumenical Patriarch acknowledged he had been engaged in no private discussions with the GOT to resolve any of the outstanding issues, and asked that we continue to press for Halki's reopening on his terms. ¶2. (C) Comment: Celik has implied on several previous occasions that if left to his own devices he would resolve the long-standing Halki issue, but was impeded by others from doing so. The last time the Patriarchate evinced any optimism regarding Halki was last June (ref c),in the lead up to the NATO Summit and POTUS visit to Istanbul. At that time, even Higher Education Council (YOK) Chairman Tezic suggested that Halki would more appropriately be supervised by the Ministry of Education than by YOK -- a sentiment the Patriarch shares -- but press reports said legislative reforms would be necessary for that to happen. More than a year later, we have seen no steps in that direction or anything else to warrant the Patriarch's current guarded optimism. End comment. JONES