TURKEY: EU PROGRESS REPORT BRINGS NO SURPRISES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002762 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: EU PROGRESS REPORT BRINGS NO SURPRISES FOR GOT REF: A. ANKARA 2468 ¶B. ANKARA 2627 Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, reasons 1.4 (b),(d ) ¶1. (C) Summary: The EU's annual progress report on Turkey, released November 6, went largely unnoticed here as the public and media remained focused on the latest PKK terrorist crisis. The GOT was pleased to see a "balanced" report, according to MFA and its EU Secretariat officials. Human rights contacts complained the report inaccurately states that torture has declined during the year and downplays the significance of the military's political interference in 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections. The report may help revive long-delayed reform efforts, including amendment of Penal Code Article 301 (which criminalizes insulting "Turkishness"),something the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) recently declared it plans to do soon. The government will need to appease a public fixated on responding to recent PKK violence before a re-energized reform process can get underway. End summary. -------------- GOT Welcomes a Balanced Report -------------- ¶2. (C) The European Commission's November 6 progress report is a balanced document with no surprises, according to Turkey's EU Secretariat Political Chief Cem Kahyaoglu. As predicted, the report praises Turkey's parliamentary elections as a free and fair contest that resulted in a more representative parliament, and criticizes the lack of progress on freedom of speech and religion. Kahyaoglu and MFA's Human Rights Department Head Hasan Ulusoy told us they were disappointed by the report's emphasis on the anti-democratic nature of statements made by several military leaders in the lead up to presidential and parliamentary elections. They believe the report misinterprets the statements as attempts by the military to protect its power, weaken the AKP, and stifle true democracy. Apparently voicing the view of the traditional Turkish establishment, Ulusoy said the military supports a normal functioning democracy, and its statements were part of an important societal debate on the role of secularism. ¶3. (U) Following the report's release, officials reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to the EU accession process. An MFA-issued statement blamed the recent reforms slowdown on Turkey's July parliamentary elections and formation of a new government. The statement noted that Turkey was pleased the EU acknowledged its obligation to fulfill its contractual promises and reiterated Turkey's strategic importance for the EU. PM Erdogan promised to continue reforms because membership would ultimately be in the interest of Turkey and the broader region. The GOT did not agree with all of the report, however, and would demand clear membership rules so that the EU could not "move the goalposts." AKP Vice Chairman Egemen Bagis assured a visiting American-Israel Public Affairs Committee delegation November 12 that, after a year dominated by electoral politics, the government would move ahead on economic and political reforms. ¶4. (U) Released the day after PM Erdogan's Washington meeting with President Bush, the report went almost unnoticed in the Turkish press. This contrasted with the massive coverage that accompanied release of the 2006 progress report which recommended the EU supsend negotiations on eight chapters. Most coverage focused on EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn's remark that the EU should not open accession talks with Turkey on the Judiciary and fundamental rights chapter until Ankara repeals or amends the "infamous Article 301." Press headlined that Rehn had "created a new benchmark." Kahyaoglu told us there was nothing surprising in Rehn's remarks. The GOT had seen a draft of the Commission's yet-to-be-released screening report on the chapter, which contains five benchmarks, including abolishment or amendment of Article 301. The other four are: passing a new Foundations Law; ratification of the Optional Protocol Against Torture; enacting an overall strategy to defeat corruption; and full implementation of rulings by the ANKARA 00002762 002 OF 002 European Court of Human Rights. -------------- Human Rights NGOs Say Report Too Lenient -------------- ¶5. (C) Human Rights NGOs told us the report failed to criticize Turkey sufficiently for major setbacks on torture and military-civilian relations. Contacts from the Human Rights Association (HRA),the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) and Amnesty International said the report's claim that torture and maltreatment had continued to decline was flatly wrong; all have documented an increase in 2007. EU Commission human rights expert Sema Kilicer acknowledged the error, which she said emanated from Brussels. These contacts also said the report nearly gave Turkey a pass on the military's political interference in the presidential and parliamentary elections. By praising at length the elections as free and fair, the EU had glossed over a significant violation of democracy and human rights, according to Amnesty International's Levent Korkut. -------------- --- Progress Report Could Kick-Start Stalled Reforms -------------- --- ¶6. (C) Kahyaoglu told us the time is ripe to finally amend Article 301 (insulting "Turkishness") and re-pass the Foundations Law to expand the property rights of non-Muslim (religious) minorities. The government planned to raise both issues in the fall, but the PKK terrorist attacks and the possibility of a cross-border operation into northern Iraq bumped the items from the government's agenda. The Secretariat has completed the groundwork on both issues and SIPDIS expects the progress report will give a sufficient push to prompt action. Kahyaoglu highlighted Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Sahin's November 8 remarks that different options for an amendment to Article 301 are ready and awaiting Prime Minister Erdogan's approval. According to Sahin, the most likely amendments would replace "Turkishness" with "Turkish Nation," substitute "Republic" for "the Turkish Republic," and require prosecutors to get approval from the MOJ to initiate an inquiry. He cautioned that the reforms could be further delayed if the PKK issue heats up again. ¶7. (C) Kahyaoglu predicted the EU Council will clear the path for opening two new chapters during its December meeting: Trans-European Networks (chapter 21) and Consumer and Health Protection (chapter 28). These are the only chapters that do not contain benchmarks, he explained. He believes that in 2008, the EU will open several chapters that have relatively few benchmarks, including chapters on Energy, Economic and Monetary Policy, and Free Movement of Capital. Progress would depend in part on whether France and other member states block the openings. ¶8. (C) Comment: The progress report's release could help re-start a political reform process nearly frozen during a turbulent dual-election year. MOJ Sahin's comments regarding the government's plans to amend Article 301 are a good sign, though timing remains unclear. The PKK issue will ultimately dictate the pace of reforms. Real progress on resolving the PKK crisis would provide the GOT with the breathing room necessary to push through controversial political reforms. End comment. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ WILSON