VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAK #1049 2040420
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 230420Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0291
INFO RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1715
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 7439
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5476
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0286
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 1432
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0458
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3305
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0399
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 4306
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS ANKARA 001049 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV TU
SUBJECT: USG-UK COOPERATION CONTINUES ON TURKEY'S CT ISSUES 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: During July 6-8 meetings in London, Embassy 
Ankara's Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) and her British counterparts 
agreed that Turkey is unlikely to change its attitude toward its 
terrorism legislation without clear evidence of the law's 
inadequacy.  Separately, the UK proposed working with the U.S. on 
Turkey's Draft Judicial Reform Strategy under the newly-launched 
"Transatlantic Dialogue."  The consultations, as a whole, were 
exceptionally useful in identifying areas of common concern and 
mutual interest.  END SUMMARY. 
 
London Meetings 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Ankara's RLA traveled to London July 6-8 at the invitation 
of the British Embassy in Ankara.  Over two days, the RLA met 
representatives from the UK Home Office (extradition, legislation, 
Turkey-specific and counter-terrorism); Foreign Office (Turkey desk 
and counter-terrorism); Ministry of Justice (international team); 
Crown Prosecution Service; and the Metropolitan Police.  The 
Department of Justice (DOJ) Criminal Division Attache assigned to 
Embassy London also attended a number of the meetings. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Many of the meetings focused on Turkey's definition of 
terrorism which the UK, like the USG, regards as unduly narrow. 
Despite numerous attempts by high-level UK officials to get Turkey 
to broaden the definition, Turkey has remained unmoved.  U.S. and UK 
representatives generally agreed that continuing to push the Turks 
on this issue is unlikely to yield any success, and is probably a 
waste of valuable political capital.  They also agreed we should 
continue to look for cases that demonstrate our position (i.e., that 
Turkey's laws are inadequate in certain circumstances) but that in 
the meantime we should focus on issues where we may be able to have 
a greater, and more immediate, impact. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The UK is very interested in working with the USG as part 
of a newly-launched "Transatlantic Dialogue" designed to foster 
mutual efforts in areas of common concern.  One topic of 
conversation was the possibility of working together on Turkey's 
Draft Judicial Reform Strategy, which aims to bring Turkey in line 
with EU norms.  (NOTE: Although the "Strategy" identifies the issues 
that need to be addressed to improve Turkey's criminal justice 
system, it fails to set forth concrete steps for moving forward. 
END NOTE.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The successful meetings in London highlight the value of 
continuing to work with our European partners on issues of mutual 
concern.  In June, S/CT PDAS Schlicher led a delegation, which 
included the RLA, to Copenhagen and Brussels.  Those meetings 
underscored the value of a collaborative approach to Turkey-related 
issues (i.e., the PKK and Roj-TV).  Continuing to maintain open and 
frequent communication with our European colleagues is essential. 
We should pursue the UK's offer to jointly address Turkey's Draft 
Judicial Reform Strategy. 
JEFFREY