TURKEY: GREEK MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN RIGHTS OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000480

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PREL PHUM GR TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: GREEK MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN RIGHTS OF
THRACE MUSLIMS FALL SHORT

REF: THESSALONIKI 16

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4(
b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Turkey believes Greece's efforts to address
the concerns of the ethnic Turkish minority population of
Western Thrace fall short. While noting that the GOG had
made a start, MFA officials indicate they await final Greek
action on the proposed legislation and other details before
they can provide a comprehensive reaction. For Turkey, the
package contains a few minor positives as well as proposals
that are strongly opposed by the Turkish community in Western
Thrace, none of which were (reportedly) adequately discussed
with the community prior to its announcement. END SUMMARY


2. (C) MFA Department Head for Greece Ozlem Ergun told us
that the GOT had not yet seen the actual package's draft
legislation, but at first blush, the GOG initiative fell
short of addressing some of the most serious complaints of
Western Thrace's minority population. On key issues such as
ethnic identity, religious rights, the administration of
minority-run foundations, and administration of minority
educational institutions, the Greek package not only falls
short but is contrary to the wishes of the Turkish community
in Thrace. She also reiterated the longstanding GOT position
that Greek policy with regard to its Turkish ethnic minority
community is not in compliance with the commitments expected
of the Greek government under the 1913 Treaty of Athens and
the 1923 Lausanne Treaty.

DENIAL OF ETHNIC IDENTITY
--------------


3. (C) Ergun noted that GOG authorities argue the Lausanne
Treaty defines the minority as "Muslim" vice "Turkish,"
leading to Greece's policy prohibiting the use of the
"Turkish" moniker. She argued that in
"Greek" Qir heritage?"

RELIGIOUS RIGHTS
--------------


4. (C) Ergun said the GOT was particularly concerned about
the lack of religious rights for the Muslim minority in
Greece. She pointed to the Greek Presidential Decree of
December 24, 1990 as a continued impediment to Muslim
religious freedom and noted that FM Bakoyannis' proposed
changes only exacerbate the lack of independence for Islamic
religious institutions in Greece. Ergun explained at great
length the community's concerns about their inability to
elect their religious leaders, or muftis, and the appointment
of muftis by the government because of civil governance
aspects of their positions. Western Thrace Muslims view GOG
plans to hire 240 imams to assist in religious education as a
further imposition of state-approved and state-selected
religious workers, rather than a positive step to assist the
community. From the GOT perspective, the imposition of
leaders on the Muslim community is intolerable. Ergun asked
rhetorically how Greek Orthodox adherents would like it if
the GOT decided to appoint church leadership in Istanbul.

FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATION
--------------


5. (C) In line with the non-recognition of elected muftis by
the GOG, the 1990 decree also denies the rights and duties of
those elected muftis to supervise the properties of religious
foundations. Ergun noted that the GOT's initial response
commented favorably on the GOG's stated intent to cancel back
taxes and liens on foundation properties, and expressed the
hope that the administration of religious foundations will
soon revert to the system that existed until 1967. Until
then, foundation board members were elected from among
members of the community rather than appointed by the
government, as is currently the case.

EDUCATION
--------------


6. (C) According to Ergun, education remains a crucial area,
and the GOT eagerly awaits specific details regarding GOG
plans to improve the educational opportunities for ethnic
Turkish students. She pointed to lower educational standards
for minority schools in Western Thrace, citing the differing

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laws on compulsory education in Greece; majority community
children are compelled to attend a minimum of nine years
while minority community children must only attend for six.
She also referred to the inadequate number of schools for the
size of the population, noting there are only two Turkish
language high schools in the entire region. In Komotini,
where the Turkish minority constitutes half of the
population, there are 25 state high schools and just the one
Turkish language school. In Xanthi, the ratio is 37 to one.


7. (C) While it's a positive step that the GOG has
established a quota for civil service positions, Ergun
pointed out that ethnic Turkish students had already had a
similar quota for university admissions but had not been
successful due to the lower educational standards and
inadequate facilities for ethnic minority primary and
secondary students.

CITIZENSHIP LOSS
--------------


8. (C) While accepting as a positive the restitution of Greek
citizenship to about 60 stateless individuals, Ergun said the
step pales in comparison to the magnitude of the problem,
which she described as constituting upwards of 60,000 victims
who were stripped of their Greek, and thus EU, citizenship.

LACK OF CONSULTATION
--------------


9. (C) Perhaps most troubling for the GOT, according to
Ergun, was the GOG's lack of consultation with members of
minority ethnic Turkish groups in constructing the Bakoyannis
package. Ergun cited statements by the Western Thrace
Turkish Minority Consultative Board, the Western Thrace
Mosques Religious Officials Association, and the Western
Thrace Turkish Minority Sermon and Guidance Committee, to
argue that the GOG had not adequately consulted the Muslim
community. She noted that while these groups and others were
pleased that the GOG was taking steps -- and found some
aspects of the GOG proposal positive -- some fundamental
issues remain unaddressed or even constitute a step backward.


10. (C) COMMENT: There has been very little public discussion
of the GOG proposals to date in Turkey. Some observers note
cynically that the GOG package is merely an attempt by the
ruling partyin Greece to ingratiate itself with the minority
community before elections. Once the details of FM
Bakoyannis' plan become more clear, the GOT may be able to
move beyond the disappointing initial reaction of "nice, but
not nearly enough."

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

WILSON