MFA COMPLAINS ABOUT IRF REPORT'S REFERENCE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000296 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR EUR/SE E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2020 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV TU SUBJECT: MFA COMPLAINS ABOUT IRF REPORT'S REFERENCE TO CONSULATE "SECURITY TRAINING" PROGRAMS Classified By: DCM Doug Silliman for reasons 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On February 10 we were summoned to the MFA where Department Head for Human Rights Yonca Ozceri conveyed MFA concerns and objections to language in the State Department's 2009 International Religious Freedom Report regarding "security training" offered to "minority religious communities" in Turkey, and over the training itself. The issue first came to light publicly in late January when local media reported that the Saadet Party Istanbul provincial president had sent a letter to the U.S. Consul General in late December 2009, raising questions about the report. The MFA asserted the language used in the report was inaccurate and misleading, and that the "security training" was conducted in an improper manner. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) In a letter dated December 23, 2009, the Saadet Party's Istanbul Provincial President Erol Erdogan Erol requested information from the Istanbul Consul General to clarify the sentence in the 2009 State Department International Religious Freedom Report that states: "The Consulate General in Istanbul provided security training for minority religious communities as part of its overall security strategy." Erdogan requested a written response regarding the need for training of religious minority groups in Turkey, the context of the training, and whether the training included the support of the Turkish government security forces. The letter also asked for the names of the Turkish organizations that attended these security trainings. The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul provided a written response to Erdogan (that did not include the names of the recipients of the training,) but not before the request and criticism found its way into the press January 31 (stories were carried by Tercuman and Sabah newspapers.) The press reports drew the attention of the MFA, and Human Rights Deputy Director General Kaan Esener, who summoned us to discuss the matter. ¶3. (C) On February 10, we met with MFA Human Rights Department Head Yonca Ozceri (DDG Kaan was out of the office and directed Ozceri to meet with us.) Ozceri heatedly conveyed the MFA concerns and objections to this statement and the training itself. The first objection was to the language used in the text of the 2009 International Religious Freedom Report. Ozceri said the sentence singled out "minority religious communities" when in fact (as we explained) the consultations were given to a variety of organizations that host American staff or visitors. Ozceri said the phrasing gives the impression that minority religious groups are under threat and "the GoT does not do its job" in protecting its own citizens. ¶4. (C) While Ozceri agreed the language could be discussed between us for next year's report, she conveyed more serious MFA objections to the training itself. Ozceri said consultations and even training to police and government officials with whom the Consulate works is understandable and acceptable. However, she said it is "hard to explain" why this training is given to Turkish citizens, and that foreign governments should not be giving security and "counter-terrrorism training" to Turkish citizens. She implied that this borders on a sovereignty issue, saying that "offering such courses to the Turkish public runs on a very thin line." She questioned us vigorously about who specifically from the non-governmental organizations and communities was requesting these consultations, and said consultations and "training" of this nature should never be done without formal MOUs and informing the host government. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: The MFA has earlier engaged the Embassy on the IRF Report without mention of this issue, and presumably is sensitive about its earlier oversight in the wake of the publicity. Follow-up on this issue is required. Ozceri requested more details about the specific nature of the consultations, how the request/offering procedure was conducted, and that we discuss with the MFA intentions of proceeding with more such consultations. Jeffrey "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"