ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE - EUR DAS BRYZA JULY 12

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 001302

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D COPY DELETING SECSTATE AS INFO ADDRESSEE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV TU
SUBJECT: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE - EUR DAS BRYZA JULY 12
DISCUSSIONS

REF: ISTANBUL 524 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: EUR DAS MATT BRYZA FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary: EUR DAS Bryza discussed a potential way to
resolve the long-standing Halki issue with the Ecumenical
Patriarch during a July 12 meeting. The Patriarch also
raised property issues, noting that the Government of Turkey
(GOT) had begun selling seized Ecumenical Patriarchate
properties, as well as modalities surrounding the election of
the next Ecumenical Patriarch. End Summary


2. (C) EUR Deputy Assistant Secretary Bryza met the
Ecumenical Patriarch on July 12 to discuss a variety of
long-standing issues and to describe a potential way forward
on the Halki Seminary closure using the good offices of the
Prime Minister's chief foreign policy advisor Ahmet
Davutoglu. Bartholomew began by expressing his thanks that
the Secretary had continued to raise issues of concern to the
Patriarchate in her conversations with FM Gul and others, but
noted that the current Government of Turkey (GOT) had thus
far provided only promises and no actions in response to the
Patriarchate,s repeated overtures.


3. (C) Bryza described the issue of the Patriarchate and the
Ecumenical Patriarch himself as central to U.S. relations
with Turkey, noting that Turkey's strategic importance to the
U.S. flows in part from its position as a secular democracy
with a majority Muslim population that has accomplished
modernization and reform with a relative level of success.
Turkey still has problems in the area of religious freedom in
particular and as a result it would be useful for the GOT to
embrace the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

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Patriarch: Elected "By God" Not Selected by Ankara
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4. (C) Bryza relayed his conversation the previous day with
Turkish PM Advisor Ahmet Davutoglu on the importance of
non-Turkish citizens being elected Ecumenical Patriarch.
Bryza explained that Davutoglu hoped that the Patriarchate
would view the GOT's 2005 decision to not interfere in the
selection of several foreign members of the Holy Synod as a
gesture of good will. Bartholomew argued quite forcefully
that the membership of the synod was his decision, was not
subject to GOT oversight and that there was thus no legal
basis for the GOT to have interfered. Bryza stressed that
the selection of foreign members did draw negative attention
in the media and within the AK Party, and Bryza the GOT could
have responded in an unhelpful fashion but chose to instead
not challenge the Patriarch's decision. This
non-interference should be viewed in a positive light.
Bartholomew agreed. (Comment: This is a positive departure
from the previous GOT practice of setting virtually all
parameters for the patriarchal designation process. End
Comment.)


5. (C) Bartholomew explained that directives issued by the
Istanbul Governor's office in 1923 and 1970 require the
Patriarch to be a Turkish citizen living in Turkey. These
directives also provide for selection of a new Patriarch by
the Istanbul Governor if the election process takes more than
eight days. Bartholomew noted that selection by anyone other
than the "divinely inspired Holy Synod" would not be
acceptable to the Greek Orthodox Church or to the broader
Orthodox community. He has written a letter to the GOT
expressing his concerns and seeking a formal guarantee that
the election of his successor would be free from government
interference. He described two major areas of concern. He
hoped that all the hierarchs of the church, regardless of
citizenship, would be considered in the patriarchal election
and that if a non-Turkish citizen were elected the GOT would
immediately grant Turkish citizenship to the new Ecumenical
Patriarch, following the current practice in Egypt for the
Patriarch of Alexandria. Second, in past patriarchal
elections, although not/not his election, the GOT demanded
the three or four strongest candidates not be considered for
election. The GOT should not revert to this practice.

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Property: Confiscations, Inheritance and Sales
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6. (C) Bartholomew described a climate of increasing
property confiscations (reftel) including the recent seizure
of three monasteries on the Princes' Islands which were
registered in the name of the General Directorate of
Foundations (Vakiflar). The Vakiflar is collecting rents on
these properties that had previously gone to the
Patriarchate. The Patriarchate lacks a legal identity in
Turkey and as a result has registered more than 80 properties
under symbolic names, including for example the Virgin Mary
and the Prophet Elijah. Turkish citizens have gone to court
in an attempt to establish title through inheritance for
these properties by claiming to be direct descendants of the
Virgin Mary, and their claims are being entertained by the
courts. He stressed that in a climate of good will these
types of cases would be dismissed, but that the long term
solution is for the Patriarchate to acquire a legal identity
and to be able to register its properties directly.

(C) The Vakiflar has recently begun selling confiscated
properties, explained Bartholomew. Most recently rooms in
the courtyard of the St. George Monastery on Burgaz Island
have been offered for sale. These rooms were used as living
quarters for monks and are demonstrably church property he
argued. Bryza noted that property issues were a
long-standing irritant but that the sale of confiscated
properties was an indication that the situation was worsening
and committed to raise U.S. concerns with Ankara urgently.
Bryza told the Ecumenical Patriarch that FM Gul described the
draft law on foundations as a means of solving many of these
property issues during his recent meeting with the Secretary.


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Halki: Cover from Western Thrace
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7. (C) Bryza stressed the moral and political significance
of Turkey reopening Halki. Bryza noted that although the
re-opening of Halki had no actual connection to the situation
in Western Thrace, political realities linked the two issues
for the GOT. He was hopeful that the Government of Greece
might be persuaded to move on the issue of muftis in Thrace,
perhaps by separating the judicial and community leader
functions currently performed by the muftis and allowing the
muftis to be selected by the local Turkish community. Bryza
explained that Davutoglu believed that this type of move by
Athens would provide sufficient political cover for the GOT
to re-open Halki and withdraw the regulations concerning the
election of a new patriarch. Bartholomew noted that if it
would be useful he would be willing to meet with Davutoglu to
discuss these issues directly.


8. (C) Bartholomew stressed the importance of the seminary
to the survival of the patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox
community in Turkey, noting that even the smallest orthodox
communities (Albania, Finland) have at least one theological
school. Trained religious workers are necessary not only to
work within the locally resident orthodox community but also
to support the Ecumenical Patriarch's efforts in the areas of
inter-communal dialog ) with Rome, with the Anglican
Communion, with the Lutheran Convention ) and on
environmental protection. Stressing that the Patriarchate
does not reject state control/oversight of a seminary,
Bartholomew explained that courses at Istanbul University,
the current GOT proposal, were no substitute for the monastic
experience coupled with full time training provided at a
seminary such as Halki. The Ecumenical Patriarch expressed a
desire to return to the situation as it was prior to 1971
with the Ministry of Education overseeing Halki, based on a
1951 regulation that gave responsibility for oversight to the
Ministry of Education.


9. (C) Bryza explained that during July 10-11 meetings
Davutoglu expressed a desire to work for a resolution of the
Halki issue by focusing on the 1951 regulation rather than
the 1968 regulation that was repealed by the decision by the
Istanbul Governors office that Halki should be treated as a
university. Bartholomew was wholeheartedly in favor of this
approach, noting that during recent discussions Erdogan
Tezic, head of the Higher Board of Education (YOK),told him
that Halki could reopen "tomorrow" under the provisions in
the 1951 regulation.


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Way Forward
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10. (C) Immediately following the meeting with the
Ecumenical Patriarch Bryza contacted Davutoglu who agreed to
discuss possible next steps with Prime Minister Erdogan and
to meet the Ecumenical Patriarch in the near future. We have
conveyed Davutoglu's response to the Patriarchate.
Bartholomew conveyed later in the day via the Greek
Ambassador to Turkey that he was deeply pleased with the news
that Davutoglu would reach out to him. Bryza and Bartholomew
agreed to pursue the following steps:
-- Bartholomew would work with the Greeks in Greece, Turkey
and the U.S. and Bryza would work the GOT to focus the Halki
debate on the 1951 regulation, which could allow Halki to
reopen by a GOT claim that the 1971 prohibition of religious
schools applied only to the court institutions registered
under the 1968 regulation, not the 1951 regulation.
-- Bryza would work with the GoG to explore the nomination by
Athens of a secular judge and the selection of the Mufti by
the Turkish Community as a community leader; these steps
would help shape Turkey,s political climate to allow Halki
reopening under the 1951 regulation, but not as a
quid-pro-quo.
-- Bryza and the USG would press the GOT to prevent further
ceasing and selling of patriarchate church properties in
Turkey.


11. (U) DAS Bryza cleared this message.
JONES