SUPPORTING TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION PROCESS: POLAND

C O N F I D E N T I A L WARSAW 003194 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2015 TAGS: PREL TU PL EUN SUBJECT: SUPPORTING TURKEY'S EU ACCESSION PROCESS: POLAND REF: STATE 150087 Classified By: Mary Curtin, Political Counselor, reasons 1.4bd ¶1. (C) Post delivered reftel demarche to the Polish MFA's European department, underscoring our concern about possible attempts to impose additional pre-conditions for Turkish EU accession negotiations. Polish MFA desk officer for Turkey Patrycja Ozcan assured us that the Polish government fully backs Turkish EU membership and does not support the introduction of new conditions -- such as immediate recognition of Cyprus -- in advance of October 3. Post was informed separately by the Turkish embassy in Warsaw that a visiting Turkish delegation had heard similar assurances last week from Polish MFA and other officials, including from an EU department head who pledged that Poland will "fight" for Turkish membership within the EU. ¶2. (C) Post will reiterate reftel message in an upcoming meeting with the Polish MFA on the September 1-2 Gymnich agenda, and will report from that exchange any Polish views on internal EU dynamics on Turkey. Ashe