Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08THESSALONIKI72
2008-10-14 14:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Thessaloniki
Cable title:
ECHR REJECTS GREECE'S ARGUMENTS FOR BANNING ASSOCIATIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO5291 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHIK #0072 2881404 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141404Z OCT 08 FM AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0383 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 0425
UNCLAS THESSALONIKI 000072
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GR
SUBJECT: ECHR REJECTS GREECE'S ARGUMENTS FOR BANNING ASSOCIATIONS
THAT BEAR THE TERM "TURKISH" IN THEIR NAMES
UNCLAS THESSALONIKI 000072
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GR
SUBJECT: ECHR REJECTS GREECE'S ARGUMENTS FOR BANNING ASSOCIATIONS
THAT BEAR THE TERM "TURKISH" IN THEIR NAMES
1. SUMMARY: The Government of Greece's challenge of a decision
by the European Court of Human Rights, to allow the operation of
associations that include the term "Turkish" in their names has
proven unsuccessful. Minority circles said they were "satisfied
with the outcome," and Greek diplomatic representatives said
that the Court's decision will be respected. END SUMMARY.
2. On October 07, the ECHR rejected the arguments presented by
the GoG against an earlier decision by the Court which asked
Greece to allow the operation of associations that include the
term "Turkish" in their names. On March 27, the ECHR decided
that Greece was violating Articles 11 (freedom of assembly and
association,) 14 (prohibition of discrimination) and 6 -
paragraph 1 - (fair hearing within a reasonable time) of the
European Convention on Human Rights, by not allowing the
"Turkish Union of Xanthi" and the "Cultural Association of
Turkish Women of the Region of Rodopi" to operate (Reftel.) The
GoG claimed unsuccessfully that the use of the term "Turkish"
constitutes a violation of the Lausanne Treaty, which only
provided for a religious, i.e. Muslim minority in Thrace.
3. The response to the decision by the ECHR has been muted so
far. The President of the "Turkish Union of Xanthi" Ahmetoglou
made brief statements, in which he expressed "satisfaction with
the outcome" and said that he "expected Greece to implement the
legal framework that was in place prior to the banning decision
(1983)." He said that the Union's next steps would be agreed
upon after legal consultation. Greek MFA sources on the other
hand, insisted the decision would be duly observed by the
authorities. It is worth noting however, that the associations
concerned never stopped operating and therefore, the decision
has merely offered them the symbolic reward of being able to put
up a sign with the name of their choice.
4. COMMENT: MFA contacts and most commentators have always
considered the GoG's appeal more as a "face saving" exercise
than an attempt to change the decision. Thus, it is not
surprising that the ECHR's decision drew few comments from
officials and the media. It is an important decision however,
that touches upon one of the main grievances -collective
identification - of the Turkophone section of the Muslim
minority and its implementation has the potential to improve the
relations between the two communities considerably. END COMMENT
KING
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GR
SUBJECT: ECHR REJECTS GREECE'S ARGUMENTS FOR BANNING ASSOCIATIONS
THAT BEAR THE TERM "TURKISH" IN THEIR NAMES
1. SUMMARY: The Government of Greece's challenge of a decision
by the European Court of Human Rights, to allow the operation of
associations that include the term "Turkish" in their names has
proven unsuccessful. Minority circles said they were "satisfied
with the outcome," and Greek diplomatic representatives said
that the Court's decision will be respected. END SUMMARY.
2. On October 07, the ECHR rejected the arguments presented by
the GoG against an earlier decision by the Court which asked
Greece to allow the operation of associations that include the
term "Turkish" in their names. On March 27, the ECHR decided
that Greece was violating Articles 11 (freedom of assembly and
association,) 14 (prohibition of discrimination) and 6 -
paragraph 1 - (fair hearing within a reasonable time) of the
European Convention on Human Rights, by not allowing the
"Turkish Union of Xanthi" and the "Cultural Association of
Turkish Women of the Region of Rodopi" to operate (Reftel.) The
GoG claimed unsuccessfully that the use of the term "Turkish"
constitutes a violation of the Lausanne Treaty, which only
provided for a religious, i.e. Muslim minority in Thrace.
3. The response to the decision by the ECHR has been muted so
far. The President of the "Turkish Union of Xanthi" Ahmetoglou
made brief statements, in which he expressed "satisfaction with
the outcome" and said that he "expected Greece to implement the
legal framework that was in place prior to the banning decision
(1983)." He said that the Union's next steps would be agreed
upon after legal consultation. Greek MFA sources on the other
hand, insisted the decision would be duly observed by the
authorities. It is worth noting however, that the associations
concerned never stopped operating and therefore, the decision
has merely offered them the symbolic reward of being able to put
up a sign with the name of their choice.
4. COMMENT: MFA contacts and most commentators have always
considered the GoG's appeal more as a "face saving" exercise
than an attempt to change the decision. Thus, it is not
surprising that the ECHR's decision drew few comments from
officials and the media. It is an important decision however,
that touches upon one of the main grievances -collective
identification - of the Turkophone section of the Muslim
minority and its implementation has the potential to improve the
relations between the two communities considerably. END COMMENT
KING