VZCZCXRO3859
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #1921/01 2080622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 270622Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3153
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5//
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU//TCH//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEUITH/TLO ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/TSR ANKARA TU
RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 001921 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY:  OFFICIALS HOPEFUL NEW GOVERNMENT WILL 
JUMP-START STALLED EU REFORMS 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 1660 
     ¶B. ANKARA 0971 
     ¶C. ANKARA 6593 
 
1.(SBU) Summary and comment.  Turkish officials and European 
diplomats are optimistic the ruling Justice and Development 
Party (AKP) will use its strong electoral mandate to revive 
what has so far been a "lost year" for EU reforms.  Turkey's 
EU Secretariat, which oversees harmonization efforts, will 
urge the newly formed government to  move speedily on two 
dormant issues:  the Law on Foundations and Turkish Penal 
Code Article 301 (insulting "Turkishness").  Concrete action 
on these issues would help Turkey avoid a harshly critical EU 
progress report in November, and lead to opening negotiations 
on up to three additional chapters during the Portuguese 
Presidency.  Our European contacts believe opposition parties 
will be unsuccessful if they attempt to freeze EU-related 
reforms.  AKP's ability to mend fences with the opposition 
while rebuilding public support for EU accession will 
determine whether the new government can jump-start the 
stalled process.  End summary and comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
EU Reforms Slow During Parliamentary Elections 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
2.(SBU) Incoming Secretariat Political Chief Cem Kahyaoglu 
told us July 23 that 2007 thus far has been a "lost year" for 
EU reforms in Turkey.  Although some technical-level progress 
has continued, the GOT achieved nothing on the important 
political issues of most interest to the EU, such as easing 
restrictions on religious minorities and freedom of speech. 
The contentious elections were to blame, rather than one 
particular person or party, he said.  European opposition to 
Turkey's accession, from France and others, made it difficult 
for campaigning politicians to take pro-EU positions, 
contributing to the slowdown. 
 
---------------------------------- 
GOT Plans to Make Up For Lost Time 
---------------------------------- 
 
3.(SBU) Kahyaoglu expected AKP, which captured 46.6% of the 
vote, to use its strong mandate to revive the process.  The 
Secretariat will urge the new government to take immediate 
 
SIPDIS 
action on two top priorities:  re-passing the Law on 
Foundations and amending TPC Article 301.  In November 2006, 
President Sezer vetoed a progressive new Foundations law that 
would have expanded the property rights of Turkey's 
minorities (ref C).  Kahyaoglu said the Secretariat wants 
Parliament to re-pass the bill in the same form.  Outgoing 
Secretariat Political Chief Ahmet Dogan told us that amending 
 
SIPDIS 
Article 301, which continues to damage Turkey's international 
standing, would be the single most important way to prevent a 
harshly critical annual EU progress report this November. 
 
4.(SBU) Both officials agreed that achieving these results in 
the compressed time frame would be difficult.  The new 
government would need to repeat the time-consuming 
legislative process for both Foundations and Article 301 
bills, and some vocal opposition from the Republican People's 
Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is virtually 
certain.  Still, the AKP's strong position in the new 
government, combined with international pressure, makes 
near-term reform on these issues likely, according to 
Kahyaoglu.  Concrete results would help the Portuguese 
Presidency to open chapters on Energy, Consumer and Health 
Protection, and Trans-European Networks. 
 
------------------------- 
Europeans Also Optimistic 
------------------------- 
 
5.(SBU) Several EU member-state contacts were relieved by 
AKP's victory, which they see as providing an opportunity for 
enhanced relations between Ankara and Brussels.  A Dutch 
diplomat told us the overwhelming popular support for AKP 
will provide them the necessary leverage to end a period of 
stagnation in reforms.  According to a British contact, the 
EU wants to see the new Parliament passing or amending four 
 
ANKARA 00001921  002 OF 002 
 
 
crucial laws before the November progress report:  the Law on 
Foundations, Article 301, the Ombudsman law, and Law on the 
Court of Auditors.  These contacts agree that CHP and MHP 
maneuvering may slow, but ultimately will not block, 
long-awaited reforms on political issues such as Article 301. 
 
 
6.(SBU) Sema Kilicer, at the EU Commission's Turkey 
Delegation, told us AKP no longer has any excuse to delay on 
badly needed political reforms.  The consensus at the 
Commission's Ankara office is that a new, dynamic, 
reform-minded Justice Minister is key to reviving a stalled 
process.  Former Justice Minister Cemil Cicek had been unable 
to infuse a liberal-leaning spirit into the MOJ's backward 
thinking bureaucracy, Kilicer said. The Commission will be 
watching this ministerial appointment closely. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON