Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PRAGUE1243
2005-08-25 08:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Prague
Cable title:  

CZECHS QUESTIONING TURKISH ACCESSION, BUT LIKELY

Tags:  PREL TU EZ EUN 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 001243 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2015
TAGS: PREL TU EZ EUN
SUBJECT: CZECHS QUESTIONING TURKISH ACCESSION, BUT LIKELY
TO SUPPORT

REF: A. STATE 150087


B. 2004 PRAGUE 1666

Classified By: Pol-Econ Counselor Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4 b+d

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 001243

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2015
TAGS: PREL TU EZ EUN
SUBJECT: CZECHS QUESTIONING TURKISH ACCESSION, BUT LIKELY
TO SUPPORT

REF: A. STATE 150087


B. 2004 PRAGUE 1666

Classified By: Pol-Econ Counselor Mike Dodman for reasons 1.4 b+d


1. (C) Summary: Czech public and official position on
Turkey's EU accession has softened noticeable from late last
year, when the GOCR came out clearly in favor. A petition
opposing Turkish accession received 12,000 signatures last
month; the Foreign Minister this week published an editorial
saying the EU needs to chose integration over enlargement.
MFA officials state that the GOCR position in the upcoming
Gymnich and in future debate will depend in part on the EC's
assessment of the legality of the recent Turkish government
statement against recognition of Cyprus. However, despite
the public and private misgivings from the MFA, staff there
admit that the numbers do not add up for an EU vote to modify
last December's decision. The UK Embassy is confident the
Czechs will maintain formal, albeit lukewarm, support for the
talks. End summary.


2. (C) Last year, former PM Stanislav Gross took a clear
position in favor of Turkish accession, overcoming the
natural reluctance of Christian Democratic FM Cyril Svoboda
(ref B). In speeches and in a published editorial, Gross
pledged Czech support for accession on terms similar to those
applied to the Czech Republic. However, Gross was careful to
remain within the EU mainstream and the Czechs never took an
active role in the internal EU debate.


3. (C) With the EU mainstream having shifted following the
constitutional referenda defeats, the Czech position has also
shifted. PM Paroubek has not yet spoken out on the question
of Turkish accession talks. This has offered the MFA free
rein in shaping the internal debate. Thus it was Svoboda who
first published an editorial, in the August 23 edition of
Pravo entitled "Integration of the Union, not enlargement."
He frames the debate over enlargement solely in the context
of the twin referenda defeats and the imperative of the EU to
immediately address the complaints that led the French and
Dutch voters to say no. He warns against a "helter-skelter
enlargement," that enlargement "beyond those countries that
belong to Europe" is not on the agenda, and that "empty and
cheap promises" will end up reducing the EU's ability to

absorb new entries. His comments are not explicitly directly
against Turkey, but the context is clear.


4. (C) Svoboda's published comments tracked with those of MFA
Director for EU Coordination Tomas Ulicny, who told Pol-Econ
Counselor on August 19 that the GOCR position on launching
negotiations October 3 had to reflect the "new reality" in
Europe and the Czech Republic following the referenda
defeats. As evidence of the latter, he lifted a three-inch
thick binder that allegedly contained 12,000 signatures from
Czechs opposed to Turkish accession (the petition was open
over a two-week period following a July 29 demonstration on
Wenceslas Square against EU accession, organized by Czech MEP
Josef Zieleniec as part of the "Voice for Europe" campaign).


5. (C) Discussing the landscape of EU members on Turkish
accession, Ulicny termed the UK, Spain and Italy the only
firm supporters, with Germany, France, the Netherlands and
"the Nordics" firm opponents. He said the Czechs are now in
the "ambiguous" category. In the end he admitted that a
qualified majority in favor of changing the December decision
was probably impossible, but he continued with a strong
argument against accession. While Ulicny readily accepted
the strategic importance of opening the Turkish negotiations
as agreed last December, he immediately dismissed the USG
position by stating this ignores the "cost" of Turkish
accession, "which the Czechs and other Europeans will be
paying, not the U.S."


6. (C) Ulicny said that in the end the GOCR position would be
determined by the question of whether the recent Turkish
declaration refusing to recognize Cyprus was found to be
against the acquis. Ulicny said MFA lawyers had determined
it is not, but that the MFA prefers to wait for a ruling by
Commission lawyers, which he expects will come in the days
prior to the September 1-2 Gymnich.


7. (C) Ulicny reported that Turkish MFA U/S Sensoy would
visit Prague on August 25 for a single meeting with Czech MFA
Deputy Minister Muller. (Note: Embassy will follow-up with
Ulicny and the Turkish embassy after this visit).


8. (C) Ulicny's boss, Europe Director General Hana Mottlova,
told Charge August 24 that a change in the Czechs' formal
position on accession talks was unlikely given the UK
Presidency's firm position. She added that she was surprised
by the FM's editorial the previous day.


9. (C) UK Embassy DCM reports HMG is confident the discussion
at the Gymnich will not alter the status quo, and further
that they see little likelihood that the Czechs will end up
opposing the start of accession talks on schedule.

10. (C) Comment: The FM's published comments and the
passions of one of his senior staff against Turkish accession
were both a significant departure from past debate on the
topic. It is not clear how much this reflects a true shift
in public opinion post-referenda, as opposed to absence of a
firm position in favor of accession from the Prime Minister.
While our bottom-line assessment is that, in the end, the
GOCR is not likely to actively oppose launching talks in
October, the level of support is notably softer here than it
was last year. We will need to continue to engage the
Czechs, and focus on the Prime Minister himself.
MUNTER