US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1481

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001481 
 
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, MARCH 11, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
MFA urges US to meet promise on the PKK - Hurriyet 
Verheugen: Denktas responsible for delay in Cyprus solution 
- Milliyet 
New Greek FM: Cyprus talks timetable must not change - 
Milliyet 
TGS acknowledges collecting information on civilians - Aksam 
Kirkuk a powder keg - Turkiye 
PLO: Abu Abbas killed by the Americans - Sabah 
A/S William Burns: Sanctions for Syria on the Way - Aksam 
Fener Patriarchate Synod convenes - Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
DeSoto admits UN expects disorder in Cyprus - Cumhuriyet 
Ankara criticizes Greek Cypriots for May 1 complacency - 
Cumhuriyet 
Weston: No deadlock in Cyprus talks - Zaman 
Constitution paves way for return of Shiites, Jews to Iraq - 
Zaman 
Kuwait joins countries opposing GME project - Yeni Safak 
Jordanian king to visit Ankara March 16-17 - Cumhuriyet 
South African, Serbian mercenaries in Baghdad - Yeni Safak 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Ambassador Neumann in Ankara:  Ambassador Ronald Neumann 
from CPA and an accompanying Iraqi delegation briefed MFA 
officials on Wednesday in detail regarding developments in 
Iraq and economic issues.  `We have outlined fields for 
cooperation between Turkey and Iraq,' Neumann said, and he 
voiced hope for a bright economic future for the two 
countries.  After meeting with Neumann, the MFA issued a 
statement urging the Bush Administration to fulfill its 
earlier pledges to remove the PKK threat from the region. 
"Sabah" reports that the Turkish side was disappointed by 
the Iraq-Turkey economic talks.  The paper claims that the 
U.S. rejected Turkish proposals to establish a civilian air 
link between Istanbul and Baghdad, end illegal taxation on 
the Iraqi side of the border, and open a second border 
crossing at Ovakoy for transit to Mosul. 
 
 
Cyprus:  Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas said the UN would 
deploy 7,000 peacekeepers on the island following an 
agreement between the two Cypriot sides.  UN Special Cyprus 
envoy Alvaro DeSoto said the high number of peacekeepers was 
necessary to deal with possible disturbances that might 
arise after a settlement.  US Special Cyprus Coordinator Tom 
Weston confirmed Turkey's demand for guarantees that an 
agreement will not be annulled in the future because it is 
not part of the EU Primary Law.  Weston denied claims that 
the talks are at a standstill.  `TRNC' officials Mehmet Ali 
Talat and Serdar Denktas arrived in Ankara Wednesday evening 
for consultations with the MFA.  `TRNC Prime Minister' Talat 
said that give-and-take bargaining would begin soon, and 
noted that a news blackout could be declared in order to 
avoid public tension. 
 
 
Military monitors `dangerous' individuals, groups:  Turkey's 
military is violating the law by drawing up a list of 
organizations and people it wants monitored as a potential 
threat to national security, papers report.  The TGS has 
confirmed that the Land Forces Command sent a directive 
through the jandarma to a number of subgovernors asking them 
to gather information on groups including artists, adherents 
of `marginal' political or religious movements, supporters 
of the EU and US, Masons, Satanists, internet groups, and 
philosophy clubs.  `Advance planning is necessary to take 
efficient measures against problems that might arise,' the 
TGS said in a statement on Wednesday.  Opposition party CHP 
has submitted a motion to the parliament claiming that the 
TGS action violated freedom of expression.  Several 
columnists in today's papers criticize the military 
directive, arguing that domestic intelligence gathering is 
the responsibility of the police and other institutions. 
Cuneyt Ulsever argued in "Hurriyet" that `the mentality of 
those in Turkey who are opposed to the EU has now been 
documented.'  Ulsever wrote that the military `sees everyone 
except themselves as potential enemies of the state.' 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq/TAL; Haiti 
 
 
"Northern Iraq and Northern Cyprus" 
Koray Duzgoren draws a parallel in the Islamist Yeni Safak 
(3/11): "There are significant parallels between the rights 
demanded by the Kurds population in the process of 
restructuring Iraq and the rights demanded for the northern 
Cypriots.  Turkish Cypriots are looking to extend their 
sovereignty in northern Cyprus and want to see the central 
government kept weak and symbolic. The Turkish Cypriots are 
also seeking political equality and administrative equality, 
regardless of the demographic balance with the Greek 
Cypriots. . Let's look closer at the situation in northern 
Iraq:  The recently signed TAL granted certain rights to the 
Iraqi Kurds which are similar to the rights Turkey is asking 
for the northern Cypriots. The Kurds are about to establish 
a state in the north by being autonomous on administrative 
and defense affairs.  The only difference between the two 
concerns EU membership for Cyprus.  Membership in the EU 
will eventually help to eliminate borders and administrative 
differences between the two Cypriot communities. . Turkey 
should not object to the rights for Kurds in Iraq because it 
is working for the same rights for Turkish Cypriots in the 
north of Cyprus.  Kurds have been living under autonomy in 
this area for many years.  The new constitution for Iraq is 
only putting this de facto reality into law.  This means the 
Kurds will be `officially' part of Turkey's neighborhood. 
The people of Iraq and the international community reached a 
consensus on the restructuring in Iraq, and Turkey should 
not stand against it.  The right approach for Turkey is to 
face the reality and abandon its hostile policy.  A new Iraq 
with a semi-independent Kurdistan is going to pave the way 
for a new era in the Middle East.  Needless to say, the 
formation of a new Cyprus republic is an indispensable part 
of this process." 
 
 
"Democracy For Everyone" 
Sami Kohen opined in the mass appeal Milliyet (3/11):  It 
seems that the US is making an effort to become the 
`democracy savior' of the world.  It is well known that the 
US has long tried to `export' liberal political and economic 
systems as well as US cultural values to other countries. 
After September 11, however, the Bush administration began 
thinking about carrying `order and democracy' to Asia 
(Afghanistan) and the Middle East (Iraq) as a kind of `holy 
mission.'  Washington is also engaged in an effort to impose 
its will in other parts of the world such as Haiti and South 
America (Venezuela).  Developments in Haiti and Venezuela 
did not attract much attention in Turkey.  In both 
countries, leaders were ousted from power as the result of 
public protests.  There is a direct connection between the 
US global democracy campaign and the internal issues of 
these two countries.  Washington has alternated between 
support for dictators like Duvailer and  elected leaders 
like Aristide, but has shown no hesitation in eliminating 
either type depending on the circumstances.  In 1991, 
Aristide was thrown out with the help of the CIA, and in 
1994 he was returned to his position with Clinton's support. 
Last weekend, Bush closed his eyes as the democratically 
elected Aristide was toppled.  Now Washington has sent 
troops to the island in an effort to help Haiti to establish 
a new administration.  This time France is supporting the 
US!  It wouldn't be a surprise if Hugo Chavez of Venezuela 
faces the same fate very soon.  Chavez is a despot as well, 
and he is both pro-Castro and anti-American.Moreover, 
Venezuela supplies a big part of US oil needs.  Therefore 
Venezuela also needs to be democratized." 
 
 
EDELMAN