US embassy cable - 05ATHENS1598

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001598 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2014 
TAGS: CY, GR, PREL, TU, TURKEY 
SUBJECT: MOLYVIATIS ON TURKEY/CYPRUS 
 
 
Classified By: Amb. Charles P. Ries.  Reasons 1.4(b/d). 
 
1.  (C) At a June 9 lunch, FM Molyviatis and Ambassador 
discussed Cyprus and Turkey issues in light of Turkish PM 
Erdogan's visit to Washington and Under Secretary General 
Prendergast's recent trip to the region.  Molyviatis 
commented that the idea of a report to the SYG on "the 
failures of 2004" was not likely to go far since "Russia, 
China and France did not want to bring it up."  Molyviatis 
confirmed that Prendergast, in Athens last Friday, had pushed 
his "building blocks" concept.  In response to the 
Ambassador's question (did Papadopoulos really want a deal?), 
Molyviatis said "Papadopoulos wasn't sure he didn't want a 
deal." 
 
2.  (C)  Molyviatis confirmed that Erdogan and Karamanlis 
would meet July 3 on the Turkey-Greece border (for a ceremony 
marking the new natural gas link).  Molyviatis said he was 
deeply concerned about rising nationalism in Turkey and the 
strength of the deep state -- "Erdogan is losing control." 
The situation had so worsened, he thought, "if Annan was 
re-opened now, Erdogan wouldn't be able to deliver it." 
Developments in Europe were not helping.  In finalizing 
conclusions for next week's European Council -- "France," he 
said,  wanted to downplay/avoid reference to October 3. 
Greece, on the other hand, insisted the reference to the 
October 3 start date be clear.  Whatever the Council outcome, 
however, Molyviatis was confident that October 3 remained the 
real start date for the EU and Turkey.  (Ironically, he 
noted, the worse things got in Turkey, the more important it 
is to all Europeans to keep some EU perspective in sight for 
Turkey.) 
RIES