EU PRESIDENT BARROSO GOES "BACK TO BASICS" IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000728 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU SUBJECT: EU PRESIDENT BARROSO GOES "BACK TO BASICS" IN TURKEY REF: ANKARA 503 Classified By: A/Political Counselor Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4 (b),( d) ¶1. (U) This is a joint Embassy Ankara - Consulate Istanbul cable. ¶2. (C) Summary and comment: European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso's April 11-12 visit to Turkey coincided with intense national debate and polarization over the March 14 indictment to close the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Barroso used the occasion to respond to recent criticisms of the EU's role vis-a-vis Turkey, re-focus Turkey's attention on EU accession, and re-energize the stalled reform process. Though Barroso's visit is likely to revive reform efforts, it will take sustained EU support to move forward Turkey's EU accession amid the current uncertain political climate. End summary and comment. -------------- Fortuitous Timing of Barroso's Visit -------------- ¶3. (C) European Commission Political Counselor Diego Mellado told us Barroso's visit initially was scheduled for January but was canceled due to illness. The new timing, coinciding with an intense national debate over the AKP closure case and Turkey's future, focused Turks' attention on Barroso's and the EU's reaction. Barroso used the visit to respond to criticisms of Europe's "interference" in domestic Turkish affairs, re-focus Turkey on EU accession, and re-energize the stalled reform process, Mellado noted. In meetings with President Gul, PM Erdogan, parliament, opposition parties, business groups, and a speech at Istanbul's Bilgi University, Barroso reminded Turks of basic but critical EU principles. -------------- Barroso Emphasizes Fundamental EU Principles -------------- ¶4. (C) Barroso stressed in his various meetings that the EU is negotiating with Turkey for no less than full membership. In his speeches at parliament and Bilgi, he said the EU is strengthened by the diversity of its new members. Turkey would bring many benefits to the EU, including a "neighborhood role" next to regions of vital energy resources and production. He suggested the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has benefits to offer Turkey, including assistance for waste treatment plans and help for women and children. ¶5. (C) Barroso emphasized that integration into the EU is a long-term process subject to "never-ending, heated discussions." He explained that, given the EU's many voices, criticisms of candidate countries are to be expected, including calls for "privileged partnership." Spain's accession and that of his own country, Portugal, were also preceded by negative campaigns in several Member States. That such debates continue does not alter the fact that Turkey is an integral part of the EU's enlargement process. He encouraged Turkey to engage in the democratic debate instead of recoiling from arguments against its full accession. ¶6. (C) Barroso also emphasized there is no "shortcut" for accession. Barroso responded to claims by some Turkish politicians that the EU was "meddling" in Turkey's business by making statements about the AKP closure case, explaining the EU takes an active interest in the political, economic, and social developments of all candidate countries. He praised Turkey's progress in these areas, citing reduced torture and improved civilian control of the military, abolishment of capital punishment, and passage of the Foundations Law. Though these are "steps in the right direction," he said there is more to be done, especially in the areas of freedom of expression and minority rights. ¶7. (C) Barroso called on Turkey to find internal compromises on controversial issues like secularism so that it could devote all its energy to long-awaited reforms. Barroso told parliament Turkey should "not expect the European Commission to take a position and to impose standards on issues such as ANKARA 00000728 002 OF 003 the headscarf -- because the EU has none. The principle that is essential to defend is tolerance for each other's beliefs and opinions." At Bilgi, he said democracy is a culture of compromise and contributes to a spirit, not merely a legal framework, of laws. Turkey must demonstrate to its citizens, its geographic region and the entire world that it is possible to have "real democracy and real secularism" through open debate carried out in the spirit of compromise. Mellado told us these remarks were an attempt to clarify the EU's official position following EU Enlargement Commissioner Ollie Rehn's more "animated" initial response to the closure case, in which he openly criticized the judiciary's action. -------------- Listening to Opposition Parties -------------- ¶8. (C) According to Mellado, Barroso called on three opposition parties to urge consensus and convey the message that the EU is for all of Turkey. Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal received Barroso warmly but repeated previous criticisms that the EU's "mixed signals" regarding Turkey's membership make it difficult for his party publicly to support accession. He called o the EU to deliver a "unified and clear stance." CHP Deputy Chairman Onur Oymen told us he explained to Barroso there cannot be democracy in a Muslim country without secularism -- "full-stop." To support his argument that secularism in Turkey is different than in Europe, Oymen added that Turkey is the only one of 51 Muslim countries that has full democracy. ¶9. (C) Mellado said a "stiff" Devlet Bahceli, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader, delivered a clear message: do not interfere in our sovereign country. Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader Ahmet Turk reiterated support for EU accession and urged the EU to establish a committee to monitor Turkey's Kurdish issue. Turk told Barroso military operations alone would never eliminate the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) while such oppression continued. Barroso responded that terrorism is not a solution and the EU will never support violence to achieve political ends. He called for DTP to engage in constructive dialogue with the government. -------------- Media Commentary -------------- ¶10. (C) Much of the media coverage was factual and without prejudice; some insisted on interpreting - or misinterpreting - Barroso's visit through their own polarized perspective. Sabah columnist and Bilgi professor Soli Ozel wrote that Barroso made clear the EU would not give up easily on Turkey's accession, referring to a recent poll to indicate Turkey needs foreign encouragement to carry out reform. Despite Barroso's emphatic refusal to takes sides the closure case, Hurriyet columnist Enis Berberoglu linked what he called Barroso's "strong support" for the AKP with natural gas deals for Europe. -------------- - EU Hopes to Build on Momentum of Barroso Visit -------------- - ¶11. (C) Mellado believes Barroso's visit generated momentum that Rehn's May visit to Turkey will continue. By re-committing to the accession process, Turkey could ease the way for the current Slovenian and upcoming French EU Presidencies to open negotiations on at least two chapters. Turkey would then have opened ten chapters -- an important sign that a tremendous amount of technical harmonization work is continuing. Ultimately, however, the political issues Turkey has put off are the most crucial because they have the greatest impact on the public's perception of progress, Mellado said. He hopes Barroso's visit re-invigorated GOT reform efforts to avoid 2008 being "another lost year." It would be important, he noted, for the EU to prevent outspoken criticism by individual members of the EU Parliament or Council of Europe that could set back whatever progress Barroso's visit had made. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey ANKARA 00000728 003 OF 003 DEBLAUW