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DE RUEHIT #0607 1901156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091156Z JUL 07
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7255
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UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000607 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TU
SUBJECT: CHALLENGE TO NON-TURKISH SYNOD MEMBERS OF THE 
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE 
 
REF: A. 06 ISTANBUL 1717 
 
     ¶B. ISTANBUL 0550 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary and comment.  Ultra-nationalist attorney 
Kemal Kerincsiz, citing the Turkish Higher Court of Appeals' 
(Yargitay) June 26 rejection of the ecumenical nature of the 
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, requested the Governor of 
Istanbul intervene to block the Holy Synod's July 7-10 
meeting because it included six non-Turkish members and was 
therefore illegal.  Additional police stood guard and blocked 
roads outside of the Patriarchate as early as midnight on 
July 7 in anticipation of protests that, as of July 9, had 
yet to materialize.  The Synod meeting convened on July 7 and 
8 as scheduled and is expected to continue the afternoons of 
July 9 and 10.  The Kerencsiz request is the first example of 
the types of challenges the Ecumenical Patriarchate can 
expect to face in the aftermath of the Yargitay's June 26 
ruling.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Ecumenical Patriarchate authorities confirmed on 
July 7 that they anticipated protests after ultra-nationalist 
attorney Kemal Kerincsiz -- previously known for bringing 
Turkish Penal Code Article 301 (insulting "Turkishness") 
charges against authors Orhan Pamuk and Elif Shafak (ref A) 
-- accused the Patriarchate of violating the Yargitay's June 
26 ruling (ref B) against the ecumenical nature of the 
institution by including six non-Turkish members in its Holy 
Synod, which was scheduled to meet July 7-10.  At least a 
dozen extra police were detailed to the Patriarchate and two 
side streets leading to its compound in Istanbul's Fener 
district were blocked as early as midnight the night before 
the meeting.  The heightened security remained in place by 
the morning of July 9, though three days into the Holy 
Synod's four-day assembly, no protests had yet to 
materialize. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) In a separate but related development, according to 
its press officer, the Ecumenical Patriarchate sent the 
Governor of Istanbul a letter two months ago requesting work 
permits for its foreign staff.  (Note: This does not include 
the foreign Synod members who only come to Turkey 
periodically on visitor visas.  End note.)  Though we have 
yet to confirm the veracity of his account, the press officer 
told us that the Governor publicly stated on television that 
he would not approve the Patriarchate's request and that he 
would make all foreign staff at the Patriarchate leave 
Turkey.  The press officer added that Kerencsiz claims to 
have collected over one million signatures on a petition he 
plans to submit to President Sezer demanding that the 
Patriarchate be kicked out of Turkey. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment.  The press officer's account of the 
Governor of Istanbul's televised rejection of the 
Patriarchate's request for foreign staff work permits is 
puzzling since it should have been picked up by other media 
sources and we have yet successfully to corroborate it. 
Though this would seem to be an uncharacteristic reaction by 
the Governor, it cannot be immediately discounted, 
particularly if it was presented in the context of a response 
to a question about the Yargitay's June 26 decision, which 
will likely haunt the Ecumenical Patriarchate well beyond 
Kerencsiz's current challenge regarding the Holy Synod.  To 
what extent will largely depend on how the new government -- 
that takes office after the July 22 election -- interprets 
the Yargitay's ruling.  The absence of a response to 
Kerencsiz's call to demonstrations may be a positive sign 
regarding the public's lack of concern over the issue and 
discredits the assertion that he has collected one million 
signatures demanding the ousting of the Patriarchate.  End 
comment. 
JONES