US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1133

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001133 
 
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 
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Powell urges Gul for trial of torturer policemen - Hurriyet 
Powell monitors Turkey's human rights record - Milliyet 
Turkey still has human rights work to do - Sabah 
Turkey fails, says US HRR - Milliyet 
Erdogan urges self-censure on media - Sabah 
We want a lasting solution - Denktas - Turkiye 
US troops going home stopover at `Freedom Hangar' in 
Incirlik - Milliyet 
Thousands of Turkmen march in Baghdad for ethnic rights - 
Milliyet 
Turkey close partner of Russia - Ivanov - Milliyet 
Ivanov promises Gul to fight against the PKK - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Erdogan orders `silence' on Cyprus - Cumhuriyet 
PM Erdogan: Our media should not provoke Greek Cypriots - 
Zaman 
Turkish Cypriots want EU and an agreement - Yeni Safak 
Denktas asks for removal of sanctions on TRNC - Yeni Safak 
EU will give Turkey date for accession talks - FT - Radikal 
First indictment in Guantanamo - Radikal 
Tenet warns of Kurdish autonomy problem - Cumhuriyet 
Kurdish autonomy largest problem in Iraq - Tenet - Yeni 
Safak 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Secretary Powell letter to FM Gul on human rights:  Major 
 
SIPDIS 
dailies give extensive coverage to a letter from Colin 
Powell to Foreign Minister Gul in which the Secretary Powell 
expresses concern regarding the situation of human rights 
practices in Turkey.  Papers report that Powell wrote to Gul 
that three of the 10 policemen who had beaten to death a 
university student in Ankara more than ten years ago were 
not found yet.  Powell is concerned that the statute of 
limitations on the case will go into effect in 2006, says 
"Milliyet."  Secretary Powell also praises Ankara's efforts 
to enact human rights reforms, but stressed the necessity of 
implementation.  The letter aims to encourage the government 
of Turkey to effectively tackle human rights issues, says a 
"Sabah" commentary. 
 
 
US State Department HRR - Turkey:  The annual US State 
Department report on human rights practices classifies 
Turkey as a country with ongoing serious human rights 
violations, says "Milliyet."  Security forces have killed 43 
in 2003, says the report and outlines the following: 
Torture and mistreatment continue, and torturers rarely get 
punished; prisons are in terrible condition; arbitrary 
detentions continue; and restrictions on freedom of speech 
and religious freedom are still valid.  The right to legal 
counsel under detention, broadcast in languages other than 
Turkish, and increase in penalties for torture are cited in 
the report as positive developments, notes Milliyet. 
 
 
US troops rotation through Incirlik:  Incirlik Air Base has 
been used in transfer of 4,000 US troops from Iraq to the US 
since January, say papers.  Troops coming from Iraq on C-17 
military cargo planes rest in the `Freedom Hangar' at 
Incirlik Air Base before flying to the US, reports note.  A 
US captain has underlined the significance of cooperation 
between the allies US and Turkey, and noted that way back 
home was shorter through Incirlik, writes "Milliyet." 
Turkish TVs broadcast live on Wednesday morning that 
transfer of US troops continued through Incirlik.  Soldiers 
arriving at the base can rest for 10-15 hours before 
continuing to the U.S.  Incirlik will handle the outbound 
rotation of up to 60,000 troops by late April, the deadline 
for the rotation period given to Americans, say TV reports. 
Coverage of the rotations was based on a visit to Incirlik 
on Wednesday by international wire service and Turkish print 
media and television representatives. 
 
 
Cyprus:  Prime Minister Erdogan urged Denktas on Wednesday 
not to disclose the contents of the Cyprus peace 
negotiations and asked the Turkish media to apply a blackout 
on sensitive information.  Erdogan said the Turkish side 
should refrain from inciting the Greek Cypriots.  Turks 
should not be the side to leave the negotiating table, 
Erdogan noted.  Erdogan also said that the best solution 
would be one attained without involvement by Turkey and 
Greece.  However, Denktas said he would continue to speak 
out and provide detailed information about the talks.  The 
talks are postponed until Thursday, as Papadopoulos asked 
for time to review the changes to the Annan Plan proposed by 
Denktas.  TRNC `Prime Minister' Mehmet Ali Talat blamed the 
Greek Cypriots for attempting to disrupt the timetable for 
negotiations. 
 
 
According to a public opinion survey conducted in the TRNC, 
61 percent of Turkish Cypriots think that the UN-sponsored 
talks will produce an agreement.  55.4 percent believe that 
a solution to be reached at the talks will bring lasting 
peace and stability on the island.  53 percent said they 
would vote in support of the agreement and 18.5 percent 
against in the referendum, while 28.6 percent are 
indecisive.  58.1 percent of Turkish Cypriots want a bi- 
zonal structure while 27.4 percent prefer the TRNC to remain 
an independent state. 
 
 
Kemal Dervis may form new party:  Former economy minister 
and current CHP lawmaker Kemal Dervis may take advantage of 
the unrest in CHP to form a new political party after the 
municipality elections on March 28, says "Aksam."  Dervis, 
expected to establish a new group on the American 
liberal/left model, has the support of 20 lawmakers from CHP 
and 50 from the ruling AK Party, Aksam claims.  Dervis is 
expected to act according to the results of March 28 polls. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a)   DOS Human Rights Report 
b)   Cyprus 
 
 
 
 
"Good Reforms; Implementation Lacking" 
Asli Aydintasbas wrote from Washington in the mass appeal 
Sabah (2/26): "The Department of State Human Rights report 
for Turkey noted human rights reforms in Turkey yet voiced 
concern about their lack of implementation.  The 60-page 
Turkey report listed insufficient implementation of laws 
pertaining to trying policemen accused of torture, the 
headscarf issue and practices in the use of Kurdish 
language. . Compared to previous annual reports, this year 
Turkey received its best human rights record.  The report 
acknowledged legal reforms and new regulations on human 
rights and freedoms, but underlined that implementation was 
below a satisfactory level." 
"US Human Rights Report: Turkey Fails Once Again" 
Yasemin Congar wrote from Washington in mass appeal 
Milliyet(2/26):  "The Department of State's annual human 
rights report states that serious human rights violations 
still continue in Turkey.  The report stresses that the 
Turkish security forces killed 43 people in 2003.   Some of 
the assessments of the report are as follows: `Torture, 
beating and mistreatment by security forces is still 
widespread in Turkey.  Prison conditions are still poor. 
Unlawful arrests and detentions still take place.  The legal 
procedure is very slow.  Security forces are rarely punished 
for torture or murder, and usually the punishment is very 
weak.  This leads to the belief that the security forces are 
immune to punishment.  The ongoing court cases at the State 
Security Courts reflect a judicial structure that considers 
state interests more important then individual rights.  The 
State continues to restrict the freedom of expression and 
the freedom of press." 
 
 
"What's going on in Cyprus?" 
Ismet Berkan warned in liberal-intellectual Radikal (2/26): 
"The general picture regarding the ongoing Cyprus talks 
indicates that the Greek Cypriot side is doing its best to 
dilute the negotiations.  I am not convinced that Denktas 
deserves full trust, yet it would be fair to say that he is 
not only a successful negotiator but skillfully exposed the 
Greek Cypriot side's reluctance to the whole world.  One 
wonders, however, whether Denktas is doing this in the name 
of transparency or is paving the way for a majority of `no' 
votes in the upcoming referendum. . It should be De Soto and 
nobody else -neither Denktas nor Papadopoulos-- who briefs 
the press about the talks and informs the international 
public.  This is the best possible way for a healthy 
negotiation process on Cyprus." 
 
 
EDELMAN