TURKISH MFA ON FUNDING COMPENSATION FOR GREEK

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003657 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2021 TAGS: PREL TU CY SUBJECT: TURKISH MFA ON FUNDING COMPENSATION FOR GREEK CYPRIOT PROPERTY CASES IN THE "TRNC" REF: 16 JUNE 2006 MORRISON/MELLINGER/LIBBY/BLAHA E-MAILS (U) Classified by DCM Nancy McEldowney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Turkish MFA Cyprus Department Head Muftuoglu told us June 20 the GOT "at the moment" has allocated no extra funding for "TRNC" Property Commission compensation to Greek Cypriots but is considering the question. Asked how much the GOT would eventually allocate, Muftuoglu said the GOT does not yet have a sufficiently clear picture of how many Greek Cypriots may eventually apply to the Commission to be able to arrive at a concrete figure. Muftuoglu claimed the GOT is committed to making certain the Commission is seen as a viable remedy for Greek Cypriot claimants. ¶2. (C) Muftuoglu took our points about the need to provide credible compensation, especially in the first few cases, which are certain to be high-profile. However, he worried about early cases setting precedents for damage awards in later cases and about nationalist reaction in Turkey to such compensation. We noted that without credible compensation in the first cases, the ECHR could find the Commission is not an adequate remedy, which in the long run would prove more costly for Turkey, economically and politically. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON