US embassy cable - 03ROME5278

UNCLAS ROME 005278 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE, EUR/ERA, EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TU, IT, PREL, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY:  EU-TURKEY TROIKA READOUT 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) 
AND (D) 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  ON NOVEMBER 13, ITALIAN MFA DIRECTOR FOR 
AEGEAN ISSUES GIOVANNI RICCIULLI GAVE POLOFF A READOUT OF THE 
NOVEMBER 11 EU-TURKEY TROIKA.  RICCIULLI REPORTED THAT THE 
MEETINGS HAD A "GOOD ATMOSPHERE" AND THAT TURKEY'S REACTION 
TO ITS RECENT EU PROGRESS REPORT WAS "CONSTRUCTIVE AND 
HELPFUL." ASKED IF THE EU HAD CONFIDENCE THAT TURKEY WOULD 
MEET THE REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO BEGIN ACCESSION 
NEGOTIATIONS BY THE END OF 2004, RICCIULLI SQUARELY PUT THE 
BURDEN ON TURKEY BUT SAID THAT ITALY WOULD CONTINUE TO HELP 
TURKEY MAINTAIN ITS POSITIVE MOMENTUM. END SUMMARY 
 
FIRST EU MESSAGE TO TURKEY: IMPLEMENT NECESSARY REFORMS 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
2. (SBU) RICCIULLI SAID THAT FM FRATTINI, ON BEHALF OF THE 
ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY, EMPHASIZED TO TURKISH FM GUL THE 
IMPORTANCE THE EU HAS PLACED ON TURKEY'S FULFILLMENT OF 
REFORMS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EU REQUIREMENTS, PARTICULARLY 
TO PASS LAWS ENSURING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND MINORITY RIGHTS. 
RICCIULLI SAID THAT THE EU "WARMLY WELCOMED" TURKEY'S NEWLY 
INSTITUTED "ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY ON TORTURE."  THE EU ALSO 
CONVEYED THAT IT EXPECTED TURKEY TO TAKE FURTHER STEPS TO 
RATIFY HUMAN RIGHTS PROTOCOLS AND UN CONVENTIONS, 
PARTICULARLY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY AND TORTURE, TO REFORM 
ITS JUDICIAL SYSTEMS SO THAT IT COMPLIES WITH EU STANDARDS, 
AND TO ABIDE BY COUNCIL OF EUROPE DECISIONS. 
 
    SECOND MESSAGE: RESOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE 
------------------------------------ 
 
3. (SBU) RICCIULLI SAID THE EU REITERATED THAT THE ONLY 
SOLUTION FOR CYPRUS IS THE ANNAN PLAN AND THAT TURKEY MUST 
BEGIN NOW TO EXERT PRESSURE ON NORTHERN CYPRUS.  RICCIULLI 
SAID THE EU WAS AWARE OF TURKEY'S MISGIVINGS AND THE 
SENSITIVITY OF THE MID-DECEMBER ELECTIONS IN CYPRUS BUT 
EXPECTED TURKEY TO USE ALL OF ITS INFLUENCE AND STRESSED THE 
NEED FOR PROGRESS BY MAY 2004.  GUL REPLIED THAT BOTH SIDES 
WOULD NEED TO WORK AT IT BUT THAT A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT 
COULD BE REACHED BY THEN.  THE TROIKA ALSO DISCUSSED THE 
MIDDLE EAST, IRAQ, AND ANKARA'S COMMITMENT TO THE 
RECONSTRUCTION OF AFGHANISTAN. 
 
POSITIVE MOVES AFOOT IN TURKEY 
------------------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) IN ADDITION TO THE READOUT OF THE TROIKA, RICCIULLI 
RELAYED TO POLOFF SOME POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY.  AN 
INTERMINISTERIAL BODY, CHAIRMED BY FM GUL, HAS BEEN CREATED 
TO ELICIT FEEDBACK FROM THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES ON HOW THE 
NEWLY IMPLEMENTED REFORMS ARE BEING RECEIVED--"WHAT'S WORKING 
AND WHAT ISN'T."  RICCIULLI SAID THE TURKS PLAN TO RESPOND TO 
THIS FEEDBACK BY ADOPTING BYLAWS TO IMPROVE ON THE EXISTING 
LAWS.  ANKARA ALSO HAS BEGUN TO ALLOW RADIO STATIONS TO 
BROADCAST IN KURDISH. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 

 
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 2003ROME05278 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED