GREEK PRIME MINISTER TO CALL ON ECUMENICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000038

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL GR TU
SUBJECT: GREEK PRIME MINISTER TO CALL ON ECUMENICAL
PATRIARCH IN ISTANBUL

REF: A. ANKARA 0102


B. 07 ISTANBUL 0942

C. 07 ANKARA 2998

Classified By: Consul General Sharon A. Wiener for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (C) Summary. Greek PM Costas Karamanlis will wrap up his
three-day trip to Turkey on January 24 and 25 in Istanbul
with visits to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and to a Greek
minority high school. Ecumenical Patriarchate senior advisor
Metropolitan Meliton expects Karamanlis and Ecumenical
Patriach Bartholomew to discuss GOG advocacy for Patriachate
interests including the re-opening of Halki Seminary, Greek
minority property rights and Turkey's non-interference
regarding the administration of Greek minority community
parish councils. He hoped the Patriarchate would benefit
from improved relations between Greece and Turkey. End
summary.


2. (C) Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will conclude
his much heralded three-day visit to Turkey (ref A) on
January 24 and 25 in Istanbul where he will call on
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and visit a Greek minority
high school. Metropolitan Meliton, a senior advisor to
Bartholomew, told us there is no official agenda for the
meeting, however he expects Bartholomew will reiterate the
Patriarchate's long standing grievances (ref B) against the
Turkish government and recount more recent developments,
including the interference by Turkish authorities on the
administration of Greek minority community parish councils.
The two will likely also discuss the new Law on Foundations
recently passed in committee and soon to be taken up by the
parliament at-large (ref C).


3. (C) Noting Karamanlis had paid an unofficial courtesy
call on the Ecumenical Patriarch in April 2007 when the Greek
Prime Minister was in Istanbul for the BSEC 15th Anniversary
Gala celebration, Meliton characterized relations between the
Greek Government and the Patriarchate as "good." He
appreciated the GOG's advocacy on behalf of the Patriarchate
regarding resolution to the latter's concerns. Indeed, press
widely reported on January 24 that PM Karamanlis had included
Patriarchate issues, including re-opening Halki Seminary and
recognizing the ecumenicity of the Patriarchate, in a list of
"old" demands delivered to Turkish PM Erdogan when the two
met on January 23. Turkish media claimed Karamanlis placed
reopening of Halki in the category of "must dos" if Turkey is
to enter the EU. Erdogan reportedly responded that the GOT
was "evaluating" the Halki issue. Meliton expressed hope
that the GOG might be able to leverage improved relations
with Turkey to more effectively advance resolutions to the
Patriarchate's many concerns.


4. (C) Comment. Increased public attention to Turkey-Greece
relations resulting from Karamanlis' historic visit demands a
delicate balancing act from Bartholomew. He has told us he
often feels caught in the middle between Turkey and Greece
with the former accusing him of being an instrument of the
GOG, while the latter believes the GOT uses him to pressure
the GOG into expanding rights for the Turkish minority in
Greece. Further Turkey-Greece rapprochement could well lay
the foundation in Turkey for public acceptance of overtures
such as re-opening Halki Seminary under terms agreeable to
all. End comment.
WIENER