VZCZCXRO3894
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHAK #0480/01 0611818
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 021818Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1188
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000480 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017 
TAGS: PREL PHUM GR TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: GREEK MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN RIGHTS OF 
THRACE MUSLIMS FALL SHORT 
 
REF: THESSALONIKI 16 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Kelly Degnan for reasons 1.4( 
b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  Turkey believes Greece's efforts to address 
the concerns of the ethnic Turkish minority population of 
Western Thrace fall short.  While noting that the GOG had 
made a start, MFA officials indicate they await final Greek 
action on the proposed legislation and other details before 
they can provide a comprehensive reaction.  For Turkey, the 
package contains a few minor positives as well as proposals 
that are strongly opposed by the Turkish community in Western 
Thrace, none of which were (reportedly) adequately discussed 
with the community prior to its announcement.  END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (C) MFA Department Head for Greece Ozlem Ergun told us 
that the GOT had not yet seen the actual package's draft 
legislation, but at first blush, the GOG initiative fell 
short of addressing some of the most serious complaints of 
Western Thrace's minority population.  On key issues such as 
ethnic identity, religious rights, the administration of 
minority-run foundations, and administration of minority 
educational institutions, the Greek package not only falls 
short but is contrary to the wishes of the Turkish community 
in Thrace.  She also reiterated the longstanding GOT position 
that Greek policy with regard to its Turkish ethnic minority 
community is not in compliance with the commitments expected 
of the Greek government under the 1913 Treaty of Athens and 
the 1923 Lausanne Treaty. 
 
DENIAL OF ETHNIC IDENTITY 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Ergun noted that GOG authorities argue the Lausanne 
Treaty defines the minority as "Muslim" vice "Turkish," 
leading to Greece's policy prohibiting the use of the 
"Turkish" moniker.  She argued that in 
"Greek" Qir heritage?" 
 
RELIGIOUS RIGHTS 
---------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Ergun said the GOT was particularly concerned about 
the lack of religious rights for the Muslim minority in 
Greece.  She pointed to the Greek Presidential Decree of 
December 24, 1990 as a continued impediment to Muslim 
religious freedom and noted that FM Bakoyannis' proposed 
changes only exacerbate the lack of independence for Islamic 
religious institutions in Greece.  Ergun explained at great 
length the community's concerns about their inability to 
elect their religious leaders, or muftis, and the appointment 
of muftis by the government because of civil governance 
aspects of their positions.  Western Thrace Muslims view GOG 
plans to hire 240 imams to assist in religious education as a 
further imposition of state-approved and state-selected 
religious workers, rather than a positive step to assist the 
community.  From the GOT perspective, the imposition of 
leaders on the Muslim community is intolerable.  Ergun asked 
rhetorically how Greek Orthodox adherents would like it if 
the GOT decided to appoint church leadership in Istanbul. 
 
FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATION 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) In line with the non-recognition of elected muftis by 
the GOG, the 1990 decree also denies the rights and duties of 
those elected muftis to supervise the properties of religious 
foundations.  Ergun noted that the GOT's initial response 
commented favorably on the GOG's stated intent to cancel back 
taxes and liens on foundation properties, and expressed the 
hope that the administration of religious foundations will 
soon revert to the system that existed until 1967.  Until 
then, foundation board members were elected from among 
members of the community rather than appointed by the 
government, as is currently the case. 
 
EDUCATION 
--------- 
 
¶6. (C) According to Ergun, education remains a crucial area, 
and the GOT eagerly awaits specific details regarding GOG 
plans to improve the educational opportunities for ethnic 
Turkish students.  She pointed to lower educational standards 
for minority schools in Western Thrace, citing the differing 
 
ANKARA 00000480  002 OF 002 
 
 
laws on compulsory education in Greece; majority community 
children are compelled to attend a minimum of nine years 
while minority community children must only attend for six. 
She also referred to the inadequate number of schools for the 
size of the population, noting there are only two Turkish 
language high schools in the entire region.  In Komotini, 
where the Turkish minority constitutes half of the 
population, there are 25 state high schools and just the one 
Turkish language school.  In Xanthi, the ratio is 37 to one. 
 
¶7. (C) While it's a positive step that the GOG has 
established a quota for civil service positions, Ergun 
pointed out that ethnic Turkish students had already had a 
similar quota for university admissions but had not been 
successful due to the lower educational standards and 
inadequate facilities for ethnic minority primary and 
secondary students. 
 
CITIZENSHIP LOSS 
---------------- 
 
¶8. (C) While accepting as a positive the restitution of Greek 
citizenship to about 60 stateless individuals, Ergun said the 
step pales in comparison to the magnitude of the problem, 
which she described as constituting upwards of 60,000 victims 
who were stripped of their Greek, and thus EU, citizenship. 
 
LACK OF CONSULTATION 
-------------------- 
 
¶9. (C) Perhaps most troubling for the GOT, according to 
Ergun, was the GOG's lack of consultation with members of 
minority ethnic Turkish groups in constructing the Bakoyannis 
package.  Ergun cited statements by the Western Thrace 
Turkish Minority Consultative Board, the Western Thrace 
Mosques Religious Officials Association, and the Western 
Thrace Turkish Minority Sermon and Guidance Committee, to 
argue that the GOG had not adequately consulted the Muslim 
community.  She noted that while these groups and others were 
pleased that the GOG was taking steps -- and found some 
aspects of the GOG proposal positive -- some fundamental 
issues remain unaddressed or even constitute a step backward. 
 
¶10. (C) COMMENT: There has been very little public discussion 
of the GOG proposals to date in Turkey.  Some observers note 
cynically that the GOG package is merely an attempt by the 
ruling partyin Greece to ingratiate itself with the minority 
community before elections.  Once the details of FM 
Bakoyannis' plan become more clear, the GOT may be able to 
move beyond the disappointing initial reaction of "nice, but 
not nearly enough." 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON