Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA2412
2007-09-26 08:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: COUNCIL OF EUROPE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM
how-toVZCZCXRO7915 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHAK #2412 2690833 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 260833Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3835 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUSNNOG/USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU//TCH// RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU RUEHAK/TSR ANKARA TU RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002412
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: COUNCIL OF EUROPE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM
CRITICIZES CRACKDOWN ON USE OF KURDISH
REF: ANKARA 2150
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4(b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002412
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: COUNCIL OF EUROPE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM
CRITICIZES CRACKDOWN ON USE OF KURDISH
REF: ANKARA 2150
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4(b),(d)
1.(C) Summary and comment: A September 17 Council of Europe
(COE) report strongly criticizes the GOT and the Turkish
courts for their handling of the June dissolution of a local
municipality for using Kurdish language. It calls for a
wholesale overhaul of Turkish law to prevent rogue
prosecutors from pursuing local politicians who use Kurdish.
Sustained international attention will likely be required to
motivate the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to
further ease restrictions on the use of Kurdish, in light of
predictable opposition by nationalist factions in the
judiciary, military, and bureaucracy. End summary and
comment.
-------------- ---
COE Investigates Dissolution of Sur Municipality
-------------- ---
2.(U) During the week of August 8-10, the COE's Congress of
Local and Regional Authorities (the "Congress") visited
Turkey to investigate the June 14 dissolution of Diyarbakir
Province's Sur Municipal Council by a Council of State
decision (Turkey's highest administrative court). Acting on
an application of the Ministry of Interior, the court had
ruled that the Sur Council had violated the Municipalities
law (which prohibits local councils from engaging in
"political acts" outside their statutory powers) by providing
municipal services in a number of non-Turkish languages,
including Kurdish and should thus be dissolved (reftel).
-------------- --------------
Investigative Team Issues Strong Criticism, Recommendations
-------------- --------------
3.(U) On September 17, the Congress released a report
criticizing both the Municipalities Law and the GOT's
handling of the Sur case. The report calls the
Municipalities law "confusing in substance and procedure,"
and recommends it be overhauled immediately. Recognizing
that amendment of only one law would do little to change the
overall dynamic, the Congress recommends the amendment be
undertaken as part of "a broad review and revision of the
Constitution and the laws governing this area." The Congress
called on the AKP government to commit to tangible reform in
the area of Kurdish language restrictions.
4.(U) According to the report, the Congress's next step will
be to convince the COE's Committee of Ministers to formally
address the GOT on the issue. The Congress has invited
Turkey's new Interior Minister, Besir Atalay, to address the
Congress during its November session in Strasbourg, and hopes
Atalay will outline a new policy to address the problem.
5.(SBU) Political Chief at Turkey's EU Secretariat Cem
Kahyaoglu told us that the GOT recognized that the Kurdish
language issue will have to be addressed before the EU would
accept Turkey as a full member. According to Kahyaoglu, the
GOT would resolve the issue over a period of years as part of
a larger effort to resolve Turkey's complex Kurdish problem.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: COUNCIL OF EUROPE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM
CRITICIZES CRACKDOWN ON USE OF KURDISH
REF: ANKARA 2150
Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4(b),(d)
1.(C) Summary and comment: A September 17 Council of Europe
(COE) report strongly criticizes the GOT and the Turkish
courts for their handling of the June dissolution of a local
municipality for using Kurdish language. It calls for a
wholesale overhaul of Turkish law to prevent rogue
prosecutors from pursuing local politicians who use Kurdish.
Sustained international attention will likely be required to
motivate the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to
further ease restrictions on the use of Kurdish, in light of
predictable opposition by nationalist factions in the
judiciary, military, and bureaucracy. End summary and
comment.
-------------- ---
COE Investigates Dissolution of Sur Municipality
-------------- ---
2.(U) During the week of August 8-10, the COE's Congress of
Local and Regional Authorities (the "Congress") visited
Turkey to investigate the June 14 dissolution of Diyarbakir
Province's Sur Municipal Council by a Council of State
decision (Turkey's highest administrative court). Acting on
an application of the Ministry of Interior, the court had
ruled that the Sur Council had violated the Municipalities
law (which prohibits local councils from engaging in
"political acts" outside their statutory powers) by providing
municipal services in a number of non-Turkish languages,
including Kurdish and should thus be dissolved (reftel).
-------------- --------------
Investigative Team Issues Strong Criticism, Recommendations
-------------- --------------
3.(U) On September 17, the Congress released a report
criticizing both the Municipalities Law and the GOT's
handling of the Sur case. The report calls the
Municipalities law "confusing in substance and procedure,"
and recommends it be overhauled immediately. Recognizing
that amendment of only one law would do little to change the
overall dynamic, the Congress recommends the amendment be
undertaken as part of "a broad review and revision of the
Constitution and the laws governing this area." The Congress
called on the AKP government to commit to tangible reform in
the area of Kurdish language restrictions.
4.(U) According to the report, the Congress's next step will
be to convince the COE's Committee of Ministers to formally
address the GOT on the issue. The Congress has invited
Turkey's new Interior Minister, Besir Atalay, to address the
Congress during its November session in Strasbourg, and hopes
Atalay will outline a new policy to address the problem.
5.(SBU) Political Chief at Turkey's EU Secretariat Cem
Kahyaoglu told us that the GOT recognized that the Kurdish
language issue will have to be addressed before the EU would
accept Turkey as a full member. According to Kahyaoglu, the
GOT would resolve the issue over a period of years as part of
a larger effort to resolve Turkey's complex Kurdish problem.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON