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DE RUEHIT #0873/01 2691252
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P 261252Z SEP 07
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000873 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL TU
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' MEETING WITH ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH 
BARTHOLOMEW I 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I 
conveyed his appreciation for continued USG support and 
reiterated the concerns of the Patriarchate in a meeting with 
U/S Burns on September 18 in Istanbul.  The Patriarch shared 
his optimism concerning the results of recent Turkish 
parliamentary and presidential elections while lamenting the 
GOT's unwillingness to engage in dialogue.  He hoped to call 
on Prime Minister Erdogan and President Gul in October to 
congratulate them and express the concerns of the 
Patriarchate in person.  U/S Burns assured Bartholomew of the 
USG's continued support and pledged to share the Ecumenical 
Patriarch's concerns during his September 19 meeting with the 
Prime Minister.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I expressed his 
appreciation to U/S Burns for Washington's continued support 
during a September 18 meeting in Istanbul.  He emphasized USG 
support helped not only to ensure the continuation of the 
Ecumenical Patriarchate's service to world-wide Orthodoxy but 
also to support Christian ideals throughout the world. 
Highlighting the Patriarchate's leadership role in advancing 
global concern for the environment, Bartholomew noted he had 
just returned from the Patriarchate's Seventh Symposium on 
the Environment in Greenland.  U/S Burns underscored the 
respect and support the Ecumenical Patriarch receives from 
all branches of the USG and reassured Bartholomew that the 
Department leadership understands Patriarchate problems well 
and that this is the right time to resolve them. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) His All Holiness stated he was especially grateful 
to U/S Burns for reminding Turkish authorities of the need to 
re-open Halki Seminary in his September 13 Atlantic Council 
speech.  U/S Burns assured Bartholomew that the U.S. will 
continue its strong support for the Patriarchate.  He had 
raised the Halki issue during a January meeting with PM 
Erdogan in Ankara, stating he had been to the Seminary and 
that it was in Turkey's interest to re-open it.  U/S Burns 
recounted that, at the time, the Prime Minister had shared 
his desire to do something about the issue.  U/S Burns 
pledged to re-visit the issue during his September 19 meeting 
with PM Erdogan. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Citing recent Turkish parliamentary and 
presidential elections, Bartholomew remarked he was happy 
with the results and that he had reason to be optimistic.  He 
characterized PM Erdogan as a "courageous leader" who has a 
steadfast will to bring Turkey into the E.U.  President Gul, 
His All Holiness noted, is well known internationally and has 
a good worldview.  Bartholomew informed U/S Burns that he had 
asked for meetings with PM Erdogan, FM Babacan and President 
Gul and expected to visit Ankara in early October to 
congratulate the new administration and submit his 
expectations regarding resolutions to Ecumenical Patriarchate 
grievances. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Above all, Bartholomew confided, he wants the GOT 
to understand that the existence of the Patriarchate does not 
represent a threat to Turkey but rather, it is a blessing to 
have the center of world-wide Orthodoxy and its associated 
history tied to Turkish soil.  Re-opening Halki Seminary and 
facilitating the election of future Patriarchs by allowing 
non-Turkish citizens to be eligible would be the best proof 
of religious freedom in Turkey, he said.  U/S Burns agreed, 
noting the US interests in the concerns of the Patriarchate 
were tied to the US belief in religious freedom and that it 
was important for the United States to encourage Turkey to do 
more. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Bartholomew particularly lamented the lack of 
dialogue with the GOT, stating he had sent over 30 letters to 
Turkish officials and had yet to receive a response.  He 
emphasized that he did not want to give the impression that 
he was attempting to impose solutions through the U.S. and 
E.U. but that when he is asked about the problems of the 
Ecumenical Patriarchate he is obligated to respond honestly. 
He and his Patriarchate colleagues were among Turkey's most 
loyal citizens, he argued, pointing out that he had served 
two years in the Turkish military.  Noting the portrait of 
Ataturk in the Patriarch's office, U/S Burns pledged to tell 
PM Erdogan that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is looking for 
dialogue without publicity as a partner with the government 
to find solutions to its problems. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Asked what other messages U/S Burns could pass on 
to the GOT on behalf of the Patriarchate, Bartholomew 
responded that he wants to be received in Ankara next month 
and that he needs the government's help to resolve 
 
ISTANBUL 00000873  002 OF 002 
 
 
Patriarchate problems but that he is optimistic.  He 
expressed concern for confiscated church properties, lack of 
juridical personality and the ecumenicity of the 
Patriarchate.  Regarding the latter issue, Bartholomew 
asserted that contrary to some government official claims, he 
did recognize and appreciate that the GOT did not respond to 
the 2004 appointment of non-Turkish citizens to the Holy 
Synod; however, this was not enough, he stressed.  U/S Burns 
promised to address these problems with the Prime Minister 
and re-assured the Patriarch of the USG's continued, though 
discrete, involvement. 
 
¶8.  (U) U/S Burns cleared this message. 
WIENER