TURKEY: DPM CICEK,S HARSH RHETORIC SETS BACK CT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000357

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT OF JUSTICE FOR DAAG/CRM SWARTZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2028
TAGS: PTER PREL BE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: DPM CICEK,S HARSH RHETORIC SETS BACK CT
COOPERATION WITH BELGIUM

Classified By: Political Counselor Janice Weiner. Reasons: 1.4 (b)(d).


1. (C) Summary. In separate February 19 meetings with the
Belgian Ministers of Justice and the Interior, Turkey's DPM
Cemil Cicek used very blunt language to insist that Belgium
crack down on terrorism, according to both Turkish MFA and
Belgian Embassy sources. Cicek implied Belgium should not
allow the separation of the judiciary and executive to hinder
necessary actions. Cicek's message and harsh tone reportedly
caused the Belgian Interior Minister to threaten to report
the incident to his Prime Minister. Belgian DCM Vantieghem
fears Cicek's actions have set back efforts for closer
bilateral CT cooperation; MFA acknowledged relations would
suffer. End summary.


2. (C) Intemperate remarks to Belgian officials by Deputy
Prime Minister and Head of the Counterterrorism Board Cemil
Cicek have set back bilateral relations, MFA Deputy
Department Head Ceren Etiz told us February 22. Cicek, a
prominent AKP member and former Minister of Justice, was in
Brussels February 19 to address the East-West Institute on
"Enhancing International Cooperation Against Terrorism."
(Note: By coincidence, inaugural Turkey-EU Troika CT talks
were held in Brussels that same day.) Before leaving Ankara,
Cicek had questioned whether he should have bilateral
discussions with the Belgians due to Turkey's displeasure
over a recent Antwerp Appellate Court ruling in favor of
Turkish terrorist group DHKP-C defendants. In the end, MFA
urged Cicek to meet with the Belgian Ministers of Justice and
the Interior.


3. (C) Those talks, Etiz continued, were "brutal," based on
what she learned from the MOI meeting cable and more informal
verbal reports. Cicek minced no words in telling the
Belgians that while he recognized the division between the
judiciary and the government, the Belgians needed to
implement their international legal obligations and "do more"
against the PKK and other terrorists. Etiz insisted Cicek's
message was no different than that delivered by Turkish
representatives in many diplomatic fora, but admitted that
Cicek's tone and choice of words were blunt. The discussion
reportedly became so heated that the Belgian Minister of the
Interior threatened to report the matter to his Prime
Minister. Etiz acknowledged with bemused understatement that
the exchange would likely dampen bilateral relations "for a
bit."


4. (C) In a separate February 22 conversation, Belgian Charge
Henri Vantieghem corroborated the confrontational tone of
Cicek's approach toward the Belgians, though he had seen only
the report from Cicek's meeting with the Minister of Justice.
Cicek had used "very strong language" and the conversation
had "not gone well." Vantieghem paraphrased Cicek as saying
he understood the separation of judicial powers and
government authority, but the government needed to "crack
down on terrorists anyway." Vantieghem was clearly
discouraged by the report on Cicek's MOJ meeting. He had
been working hard to persuade Belgium's MOJ to engage
bilaterally with its Turkish counterparts. He feared Cicek's
intemperate message would significantly set back his efforts.

Turkish Skepticism of Belgian Actions Remains
--------------

5. (C) Asked about press reports that Belgian Finance
Ministry authorities had fined ROJ-TV for four million Euros,
Etiz said that the MFA was still looking into it. She was
suspicious because only the Turkish and PKK media had
reported the incident. The Belgian investigation and
subsequent fine of ROJ-TV might have been the result of a
number of inquiries about the station's operations in
Brussels sent by Turkey through its FIU. Or, she speculated,
the fine could be related to Belgian efforts to reopen the
"Sputnik" case involving ROJ-TV's predecessor, MED-TV. That
case, which involved money laundering, drug smuggling and
illegal immigrants, among other alleged crimes, yielded no
results because the statute of limitations ran in 2007.
Separately, Etiz acknowledged that the announcement by
Belgium's Federal Prosecutor Delmulle that he would appeal
the recent DHKP-C verdict of the Antwerp Appellate Court to
the Supreme Court was a positive move. Nonetheless, Turkey

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would continue its active "campaign" against the Antwerp
decision.

Comment
--------------

6. (C) DPM Cicek, a hardliner and frequent attack dog for the
GOT, was likely still angry over the Antwerp Appellate
Court's decision when he met his Belgian counterparts.
Nonetheless, his insensitivity regarding the independence of
judicial authority and his blunt language were
counterproductive. His outbursts reinforced negative images
of Turkey that many on both sides have been working hard to
overcome. It will now take even greater effort to get this
bilateral process back on track.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

WILSON