TURKEY: EU PROGRESS REPORT CITES LACK OF REFORMS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001937 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: EU PROGRESS REPORT CITES LACK OF REFORMS Classified By: POL Counselor Daniel O'Grady, reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary and Comment: The EU's annual progress report on Turkey released November 5 met with mixed reaction here. Referring to the assessment as "balanced," GOT officials publicly highlighted its positive aspects, including Turkey's contributions to regional and energy security and progress on economic reforms. Civil Society organizations applauded the European Commission's criticism of Turkey's failure to move forward on human rights and political reform. All agree, however, that the ruling Justice and Development (AKP) is unlikely to resume action on reforms until after the March 2009 local elections. As the focus shifts from controversial to technical aspects, the annual report is no longer front page news in Turkey. Given the lack of sensational criticism or heavy praise, the Turkish public barely acknowledged its release and focused on more pressing issues such as the global economic crisis and U.S. election results. End Summary and Comment. -------------- GOT Deems Report Balanced -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Despite criticism of the AKP,s failure to pass a comprehensive constitutional reform package, the GOT responded positively to the European Commission,s November 5 progress report. In public comments, GOT officials characterized the document as "balanced" and reaffirmed Turkey,s commitment to its EU membership bid. MFA's public statement highlighted the Commission,s recognition of economic reforms here (including describing Turkey, for the first time, as a functioning market economy as defined by the Copenhagen economic criteria) and welcomed references to Turkey's strategic importance for Europe in connection with its efforts to enhance regional and energy-related security. MFA Department Head Yaprak Alp told us the report actually strengthens Turkey's EU bid in two ways. It encourages the GOT to increase the pace of its reforms, and, by highlighting Turkey's emerging role as a regional facilitator, demonstrates to the European audience a tangible benefit of Turkey's accession. ¶3. (C) Deputy Chairman of the European Joint Parliamentary Committee and AKP MP (Karaman) Lutfi Elvan said the European Commission provided many valid observations, noting that some issues, such as strengthening civilian control over the military and eliminating military interference in the political process, will just take time. The GOT welcomes the EC's technical assessment, though individual EU member country criticisms are counterproductive and undermine the Government's ability to implement the more challenging reforms. Elvan added that the 2008 report includes more positive statements of support than past iterations. AKP MP (Konya) Hasan Angi told us the report accurately points out that implementation had slowed, but could be more balanced by taking into account Turkey's political realities. Angi believes the EU's analysis demonstrates its "double standard" toward Turkey, reflecting a common GOT misperception that many European countries have laws similar to those which draw the most criticism, specifically Article 301 (criminalizing insulting "the Turkish Nation"). -------------- -- Civil Society Paints Gloomy Outlook for Reforms -------------- -- ¶4. (C) Human Rights Research Association VP Ayse Bilgen applauded the report's fair presentation of Turkey's current failures and backsliding on freedom of expression and torture, but told us the report will not jump-start reforms. She said AKP is already preoccupied with winning March 2009 local elections and will not tackle important but controversial reforms soon. Bilgen said the Turkish public believes that the global financial crisis has made Europe increasingly wary of Turkey's accession, a fact that in turn contributes to Turks' skepticism that the EU is serious about admitting Turkey. Human Rights Foundation President Yavuz Onen charged the AKP has lost its reformist spirit and has adopted a "pro-status quo stance" concerning ANKARA 00001937 002 OF 003 political reforms. He believes that mixed signals coming from Europe concerning Ankara's EU bid have caused the EU to lose much of its leverage over Turkey. ¶5. (C) European Commission contacts in Ankara also are not optimistic that this year's report will spur the GOT to re-energize the reform process. EC Human Rights Officer Sema Kilicer told us the GOT had made a lengthy stream of excuses for its failure to move ahead with meaningful reforms in recent years, from elections in 2007 and the Constitutional Court closure case in 2008 to the long-standing fight against terrorism. EC Political Officer Serap Ocak said AKP's refrain that it must address "systemic errors" before it can accomplish political reforms required by the EU is not persuasive. Several Turkish journalists commented that PM Erdogan and other AKP officials are inclined to blame Europe for the delay in Turkey's EU accession instead of focusing on Turkey's own shortcomings. "Milliyet's" Semih Idiz wrote that on the eve of (spring 2009) local elections the Government is hesitating to carry out reforms that may carry political costs. -------------- Progress Report Points to Lack of Reforms -------------- ¶6. (U) The Commission's November 5 progress report highlights the increasing strategic importance of Turkey for Europe, but focuses on the many shortcomings in Turkey's stalled reform process, including: --Political and constitutional reform: The Constitutional Court's decision to not close AKP was positive but the government has not presented a coherent and detailed program for constitutional reform. --Independence of the judiciary: The Government's judicial reform strategy is commendable but concerns about the judiciary's independence remain. The Ministry of Justice needs to consult civil society on this issue. --Corruption: There is no strategy to combat the problem of widespread corruption. --Civil-military relations: Military officers have continued to interfere in politics, officially and unofficially, regarding developments on Cyprus, secularism, the Kurdish issue, and other areas. No steps were taken to strengthen civilian control of the military's budget. --Torture: There has been an increase in torture complaints, and existing measures to prevent torture are inadequate. Turkey has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). --Freedom of expression: Turkey progressed by amending controversial Article 301 (insulting "Turkishness" became insulting the "Turkish nation" and the Minister of Justice is now required to approve prosecutions) but other legal provisions that restrict freedom of expression remain a cause of concern, including the Anti-Terror Law and laws that criminalize offenses against the public order. Frequent website bans are a cause for serious concern. --Freedom of assembly: Laws regarding freedom of assembly conform, to a large extent, with European standards but inadequate application of the laws persists. Arbitrary limitations have been applied in practice to the right to peaceful assembly. Turkish police used disproportionate force against protests during May 1 demonstrations in Istanbul and during March 2008 Newroz celebrations in the Southeast. --Freedom of association: Turkey failed to bring its laws regarding closure of political parties in line with judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and the Venice Criteria. --Other discrimination: The legal framework fails to ANKARA 00001937 003 OF 003 adequately protect lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals and transvestites, who still are charged with "indecent exposure" and "acts against public morality." The Istanbul Governor closed Lamba Istanbul, an organization that embraces those who have non-heterosexual preferences. --Freedom of religion: The passage of a new Foundations Law addressed a number of property issues of non-Muslim minorities. The government did not follow-through with its initiative to address the concerns of Alevis, and this group continues to face problems regarding mandatory religious education courses and worshipping freely. Attacks against non-Muslim clergy and places of worship occurred and missionaries continue to be portrayed as a threat to the integrity of the country and the Muslim religion. --Women's rights: The legal framework guaranteeing women's rights and gender equality is in place but significant further efforts in implementation and enforcement are needed. The government undertook several awareness-raising campaigns to combat honor killings and domestic violence but these problems remain a serious problem. Women's access to education is the lowest among the EU Member States and OECD counties. --Minority rights: Turkey's approach remains restrictive. Full respect for and protection of language, culture and freedom of association, assembly, expression and religion have yet to be fully achieved. The repeated requests of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities to visit were not accommodated. The Greek minority continues to encounter problems with education and property rights. --Cultural rights: June 2008 legal amendments allowed TRT -- the public service broadcaster -- to broadcast nationally in languages other than Turkish, but launching a non-Turkish channel has been delayed. Time restrictions set by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) continue to apply. Educational programs teaching Kurdish language are not allowed. Requiring non-Turkish programs to be subtitled makes broadcasting in non-Turkish languages non-viable commercially. Children whose mother tongue is not Turkish cannot learn that language in the public school system. No measures have been taken to facilitate access to public services for non-speakers of Turkish. --Trade Union Rights: Pending legislation amending the Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining, Strike and Lockout Laws has not moved forward. A priority of the Accession Partnership is that Turkey needs to ensure the rights to organize, strike and bargain collectively are fully respected. --Southeast: The Government's decision to complete the Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP) is a step in the direction of addressing some of the economic and social difficulties of the region. Further efforts are needed to create conditions for the predominantly Kurdish population to enjoy full rights and freedoms. The situation of IDPs in urban areas remains a cause for concern. IDPs suffer from economic and social marginalization and have little or no access to social, education, and health services. There is no national strategy to address the situation of IDPs. 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