US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4926

UNCLAS ANKARA 004926 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, TU 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON OSCE CONFERENCE ON RACISM, XENOPHOBIA 
AND DISCRIMINATION 
 
REF: STATE 176189 
 
1.  (U) Embassy Ankara delivered on August 24 reftel's 
requested demarche on the September 13-14 OSCE Conference on 
Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination to MFA Human Rights 
Department Head Ali Savut. 
 
2.  (U) Savut responded that while the GOT concurs the topics 
planned for the OSCE Brussels September meeting are 
important, Turkey is more concerned about the treatment 
accorded to Turkish migrant workers living in Germany and 
Europe, in general. 
 
3.  (U) Savut confirmed he will accompany Ambassador Omur 
Orhun and the Prime Ministry's Human Rights Department Head 
Vahit Bicak to the meeting.  Discussing the GOT's interest in 
the topics, Savut reviewed with us a proposal that he 
believes came from the British mission in Vienna to the OSCE 
regarding the "non-identification of terrorism from a 
specific religion."  Savut claimed the Canadian delegation is 
in agreement in rejecting links identifying terrorism and 
extremism with any "religion, culture, ethnic group, 
nationality or race."  Savut added that after a delay, the 
U.S. delegation also approved the proposal not to identify 
terrorism with any one religion. 
 
4.  (U) Turkey currently has anti-discrimination laws to 
address problems of anti-Semitism, but no laws against hate 
crimes.  Savut asserted that hate crimes are not a major 
issue in Turkey and added that the GOT is currently focused 
on revising its penal code to conform to EU standards. 
EDELMAN