US embassy cable - 03ANKARA5547

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 005547 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE, NSC FOR AMB. FRIED, OVP FOR VICTORIA 
NULAND 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/2008 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH INVITES PRESIDENT BUSH TO 
VISIT 
 
 
Classified by Ambassador Eric S. Edelman; Reasons: 1.5 b and 
d. 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will 
travel to New York in March 2004, hopes he could also see 
President Bush in Washington then.  He wants to invite the 
President to visit the Patriarchate when he is in Istanbul at 
the May 2004 NATO Summit.  The Patriarch characterized his 
Aug. 28 meeting with P.M. Erdogan as good and expressed 
optimism about the prospects of improved Ecumenical 
Patriarchate-GOT relations; Patriarchate lawyers, however, 
are much more cautious.  Ambassador said he will urge the GOT 
to resolve disputes with the Patriarchate, including 
reopening of Halki Seminary, in advance of upcoming NATO 
Summit and EU decisions.  End Summary. 
 
 
2. (C) During an August 28 meeting with the Ambassador, 
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew said he would be "honored" 
if the President could visit the Patriarchate, even briefly, 
when he is in Istanbul for the May 2004 NATO Summit.  Such a 
visit would send an "important message in many directions" 
about U.S. support for religious freedom.  The Ambassador 
said he will make sure the President is aware of the 
invitation. 
 
 
3. (U) The Patriarch said he will travel in March to New 
York, where he will help inaugurate an exhibition on 
Byzantium at the Metropolitan Museum and meet with leaders of 
the American Greek Orthodox community; he would be pleased to 
travel to Washington if there were an opportunity to call on 
the President. 
 
 
4. (C) The Patriarch said he emerged from his August 28 
meeting with PM Erdogan "hopeful and optimistic" about 
prospects for improving relations between the Patriarchate 
and the GOT.  He called Erdogan "a man of good will" and said 
he believes the P.M. sincerely wants close relations with the 
Patriarchate and the U.S.  Erdogan listened without 
substantial comment to the Patriarch's concerns regarding 
Greek Orthodox Church properties in Turkey, and the Patriarch 
gave Erdogan a 16-page letter detailing the legal problems 
facing the Church.  Noting Erdogan's commitment to EU-related 
reform, the Patriarch said he expects concrete improvements 
in relations with the GOT "in the near future."  At the same 
time, the Patriarch agreed with two lawyers accompanying him 
that words and promises come easily in Turkey, that the 
Patriarchate has heard sweet words before, and that the test 
will be whether Erdogan and the GOT are committed to putting 
words into action. 
 
 
5. (C) The Ambassador said he will work hard in pursuit of 
solutions to the challenges facing the Greek Orthodox Church 
in Turkey.  Before beginning his assignment in Ankara, he 
said, he met American Greek Orthodox leaders and members of 
Congress to discuss the various problems relating to the 
Ecumenical Patriarchate's legal status, including its 
inability to open the Halki Seminary.  These problems extend 
beyond Turkey, affecting all of Orthodoxy. 
 
 
6. (C) The NATO Summit and the upcoming EU summits and 
progress reports provide a window of opportunity to press for 
GOT reform, the Ambassador continued.  Turkey wants to 
improve relations with the U.S. in the run-up to the NATO 
Summit, and to advance its EU candidacy -- two goals the U.S. 
supports.  The Ambassador said he will urge the GOT to 
realize that resolving its disputes with the Patriarchate 
will contribute to both goals. 
EDELMAN