US embassy cable - 04ANKARA487

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000487 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL 
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, TU, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan wants Powell as Cyprus mediator - Aksam 
Erdogan asks Annan to replace De Soto - Milliyet 1/25 
Cyprus will top Erdogan-Bush agenda - Sabah 
Greek Cypriots afraid of referendum proposal - Hurriyet 
Kerry overtakes Bush in opinion poll - Hurriyet 
Kerry leads: Even Saddam couldn't save Bush - Milliyet 
Israel warms to Turkey's mediation offer - Milliyet 
David Kay: No WMD in Iraq - Sabah 1/2 
Cheney: The EU must support Turkey - Hurriyet 1/25 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US happy with NSC statement on Cyprus - Zaman 1/25 
Powell urges Athens to press Greek Cypriots - Yeni Safak 
Erdogan, Bush to meet for three hours - Cumhuriyet 1/25 
Cheney gives the world lessons in brute force - Radikal 1/25 
Bush prefers general elections in Iraq in July - Zaman 
US State Dept.: 70 percent of Al-Qaeda destroyed - Zaman 
1/25 
Turkmen return home - Cumhuriyet 
Thousands of exiled Turkmen return to Kirkuk - Yeni Safak 
US delegation in Libya after 38 years - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Cyprus:  Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas held talks with 
Prime Minister Erdogan and later with President Ahmet Necdet 
Sezer in Ankara over the weekend.  On Sunday, Sezer and 
Denktas issued a call for resuming the Cyprus talks. 
Erdogan called for the appointment of an impartial mediator 
to help push the negotiations forward, and is expected to 
urge the US to take up this role.  Weekend papers speculate 
that Secretary Powell, former NATO Secretary General George 
Robertson, and former US Secretary of State James Baker 
could be named as a go-between for Cyprus.  Denktas, 
however, opposes the appointment of a new mediator until his 
role is more clearly defined.  Sources `close to the US 
government' expect Powell to step in as a mediator, 
according to some papers.  If the Greek Cypriot side shows a 
new attitude, the TRNC will not hold back, Erdogan said 
before leaving for the US on Sunday.  Turkey's National 
Security Council (NSC) had agreed on Friday to back a 
resumption of UN negotiations in a bid to forge a deal 
before Cyprus joins the EU on May 1. 
PM Erdogan's US visit:  Prime Minister Erdogan left for his 
visit to the United States on Sunday.  He was accompanied by 
3 cabinet ministers, 165 businessmen and over 50 
journalists.  Dailies expect the Cyprus issue to top the 
agenda of meetings between Turkish and US officials.  The 
two sides will ponder the possibilities for expanded 
cooperation against forces that oppose a peaceful settlement 
in Cyprus and Turkey's EU membership. 
 
 
Ankara to mediate between Israel, Syria:  The Israeli 
foreign ministry has responded positively to Ankara's offer 
to mediate between Israel and Syria in a prospective return 
to peace talks between the two countries.  The Syrians have 
reportedly welcomed the Turkish approach as well.  `We hope 
Turkey can persuade the Israeli government to abandon its 
noncompliance with international law and UNSC resolutions,' 
Syria's information ministry said.  Prime Minister Erdogan 
said at the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos on 
Saturday that Turkey's foreign minister would launch a new 
diplomatic initiative on the issue soon. 
 
 
Northern Iraqi refugee camp to be closed:  Turkey, the US, 
and the UN have agreed to close the Mahmur refugee camp in 
Northern Iraq, an alleged safe haven for PKK/KADEK 
terrorists, Saturday papers report.  The MFA said on Friday 
that an agreement for the return of the approximately 13,000 
Turkish nationals in the camp would be signed once the sides 
formally approve the deal.  Refugees not willing to return 
to Turkey may continue living in Iraq or move on to third 
countries. 
 
 
Moscow slams Ankara for Chechen support:  On the eve of 
Foreign Minister Gul's Russia visit in February, Moscow has 
voiced its displeasure with Turkish support for Chechen 
terrorists, weekend papers report.  Russia's deputy foreign 
minister Trubnikov said that Moscow is `deeply concerned' 
about support extended to Chechen terrorists by a number of 
Turkish NGOs. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Turkish PM in Washington 
 
 
 "The White House Agenda includes a Complaint Against 
Bremer" 
Sedat Ergin listed issues for the Turkish PM's Washington 
trip in the mass appeal Hurriyet (1/26): "The visit and the 
treatment that Erdogan will be given indicate that the 
crisis between the two countries has been left behind.  In 
this context, the message from President Bush during the 
meeting will show Turkey's importance for the US.  Cyprus 
will likely top the agenda.  PM Erdogan's Washington trip 
takes place right after a new Turkish initiative on Cyprus. 
Washington is pleased with Turkey's diplomatic moves on 
Cyprus, and Erdogan will seek US support for certain 
improvements in the Annan Plan. Erdogan might ask Bush to 
appoint an important American figure as Cyprus mediator. . 
In Washington Erdogan once again will highlight Turkish 
concerns about an ethnic federation Kurdish aspirations for 
autonomy.  He is expected to warn the US administration 
against a change in the demographic structure in Kirkuk. 
The elimination of the PKK presence in northern Iraq will 
also be raised.  Another thorny issue about Iraq is related 
with Paul Bremer.  Bremer is known for his negative views of 
Turkey, and he does not always implement agreements reached 
between Ankara and Washington. Thus PM Erdogan might ask 
President Bush to warn Bremer.  . The US might ask Turkey to 
open its border with Armenia. The unilateral opening of the 
border is unlikely as long as the Armenian occupation of 
Azeri territory continues. Nevertheless, Turkey has softened 
to a great extent the embargo against Armenia. .Another 
issue that might come to the agenda is the Turkish request 
to revive plans for the establishment of qualifying 
industrial zones." 
 
 
"The Bush-Erdogan Meeting" 
Yasemin Congar noted in the mass appeal Milliyet (1/26): 
"Given the fact that President Bush has reiterated his will 
to solve the Cyprus issue, Cyprus will be a top agenda item 
in his meeting with PM Erdogan.  Turkey and the US will 
shape plans for a multi-dimensional cooperation to eliminate 
factors which might block the Cyprus breakthrough and 
Turkey's EU entry.  The Bush administration sees the NATO 
summit in Istanbul in June as a chance to showcase Turkish 
economic and political reforms and cultural diversity to the 
EU and the Middle East.  . Washington is ready to appoint an 
American official as Cyprus mediator if given the nod by 
UNSG Annan. . On Wednesday President Bush might tell the 
Turkish PM that Secretary of State Colin Powell personally 
will press for a Cyprus breakthrough, and that the US will 
begin diplomatic efforts to ensure that Greece and the Greek 
Cypriots give a positive response to the Turkish efforts. 
Bush might add that the US will also press for a solution in 
EU capitals.  After the meeting, Bush might even call some 
European leaders to seek support for the Cyprus deal and for 
Turkey's EU accession.  Washington's message for the EU is 
that providing Turkey an accession calendar will help 
efforts for a Cyprus solution." 
DEUTSCH