AN EVENING WITH ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000539 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL TU GR SUBJECT: AN EVENING WITH ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I REF: A. ISTANBUL 0476 ¶B. ISTANBUL 0083 Classified By: Consul General Deborah K. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: His All Holiness Bartholomew I used a farewell dinner he hosted in honor of the departing Consul General to express appreciation for the USG's continuing support and for the Consul General's personal interest in the issues affecting the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He lamented having to "walk the middle line" between Turkey and Greece and acknowledged that recent polls citing majority Greek views that Istanbul, inter alia, remained occupied Greek territory did not help his Turkish community's cause to be accepted as equal citizens. Foundation board elections (ref A) were progressing well, he noted, adding that the government had advised him it would return two properties associated with a recent ECHR verdict in favor of a Greek Orthodox community foundation (a claim disputed by the foundation's lawyer in a subsequent conversation). He was cautiously hopeful for more action following July's parliamentary elections. End summary. ¶2. (C) Nestled in a bucolic hilltop in Tarabya, overlooking the northern end of the Bosphorus, the Ecumenical Patriarch's residence provides refuge from the congestion and controversies that are daily fare at the Patriarchate's headquarters in the Fener District of Istanbul. The property, donated by a wealthy benefactor for use as the Patriarch's residence, is deeded to Bartholomew because the Patriarchate does not have legal personality in Turkey and, as a result, cannot own property. Bartholomew hosted us here June 18 for an informal farewell dinner in honor of the Consul General. ¶3. (C) Bartholomew raised few grievances but instead showcased the optimism, compassion and humor that make him widely recognized as the Ecumenical Patriarchate's best Ambassador. He thanked the Consul General for continued USG support, including a visible presence at Patriarchate events, and her personal interest in the concerns of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. ¶4. (C) Asked how the United States could best assist the Patriarchate after July's parliamentary elections, His All Holiness responded, "by convincing the government that we mean no harm." He lamented that the Greco-Turk community felt caught in between Turkey and Greece: the former believed the community was an instrument of the GOG while the latter believed the community was being used by the GOT to pressure the GOG into expanding the rights of the Turkish minority in Greece. Recent polls showing that as many as 63% of Greeks consider Istanbul and parts of the Aegean to be occupied Greek territory were unhelpful, he noted. Reiterating his firm belief that Turkey belongs in the EU, Bartholomew expressed his continued hope for a democratic and free Turkey in which Greco-Turks are "accepted as Turks, as full and loyal citizens" and not foreigners or guests. ¶5. (C) The Patriarch also provided an update on the status of the election of board members for Greek community foundations. These were going well, he said; voter turnout was much higher than expected as was the participation of young people within the community. Based on a survey taken last year, Bartholomew assessed the community to include up to 4000 members, vice previous estimates of up to 2500. ¶6. (C) Bartholomew shared another development concerning the ECHR's recent ruling in favor of the Fener Greek Boys' High School Foundation and two associated properties which had been confiscated by the GOT (ref B). The government had just notified him that it intended to return the two properties rather than pay the 890,000 Euro in compensation, which was the expected outcome since the properties had already been sold to third parties. ¶7. (C) Reviewing the Patriarchate's global priorities, including interfaith dialogue and its leadership in environmentalism, Bartholomew discussed the composition of Orthodox communities in places as distant as South Korea and Cuba. While discussing the latter, Bartholomew asked with a grin whether we'd noted the large cross made of petrified wood and gold hanging around his neck and said he was hesitant to confide that it had been a gift from Fidel ISTANBUL 00000539 002.2 OF 002 Castro. Castro had been extremely hospitable, he told us, donating property for an Orthodox church and telling the Patriarch that he expected the Orthodox Church had the potential to grow its few hundred followers in Cuba ten-fold within a few years. Bartholomew speculated Cuba could not remain communist for long following Castro's death. ¶8. (C) Comment: Bartholomew was his usual hopeful self, always leaving room for the possibility of transformational, inspired acts on the part of bureaucrats and politicians, even as his frustration with the continued closure of Halki remains clear. His personal connection to the liturgical school was a constant theme throughout the dinner, and indeed he was headed to Halki the following day for a brief period of personal retreat. ¶9. (C) Comment continued: Contrary to the Ecumenical Patriarch's optimistic account, Gultem Alkan, an attorney representing the Fener Greek Boys' High School Foundation, told us June 21 that she expected the government would pay the compensation before the July 9 ECHR-instituted deadline since the General Directorate of Foundations had recently requested bank account information from the Foundation. This conflicting information is perplexing. It makes sense that the government would prefer to return the properties rather than set a precedent for providing compensation for properties sold to third parties, but the GOT would have to re-acquire these properties to do so. The government's real intentions will become clearer as the July 9 compliance deadline for the ECHR's ruling approaches. End comment. JONES