US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1577

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001577 
 
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, 
TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Terror panic in Europe: Who's next? - Hurriyet 
Spain to withdraw from Iraq - Milliyet 
Barzani's dream of a sovereign Kurdish state - Milliyet 
Syrian Kurdish-Arab conflict spreads to Aleppo - Hurriyet 
PKK threatens Syria - Milliyet 
Turkey, Jordan to discuss anti-terror cooperation - Turkiye 
European Parl.: Turkey's secularism restricts religious 
freedom - Hurriyet 
FM Gul warns Georgia against division - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Damascus blames US for Kurd-Arab conflict - Cumhuriyet 
US allies timid after Madrid bombings - Cumhuriyet 
Standing close to Bush more difficult - Radikal 
First crack in coalition: Spain withdraws Iraq troops - 
Zaman 
Coalition cracked - Yeni Safak 
Putin rejects Powell's election criticism - Radikal 
Putin to Powell: Mind your own elections - Zaman 
Putin's easy victory - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Cyprus:  Four-way talks on Cyprus will continue in Lucerne, 
Switzerland with the involvement of Ankara and Athens 
beginning March 24.  On Monday, Cypriot leaders Papadopoulos 
and Denktas presented to UN Special Cyprus envoy De Soto 
their proposals for changes to the Annan Plan.  The Turks 
ask for strengthened bi-zonality, an acceptable border line, 
and fewer Greek Cypriot migrants moving to the north.  The 
Greeks want no restriction on the number of displaced 
nationals moving back to their home in the Turkish sector. 
The Greek Cypriots insist that Turkish troops should leave 
the island immediately, and that Turkey's parliament must 
endorse the UN plan before the referenda.  Athens has 
rejected Ankara's proposal that the Lucerne talks be held at 
the Prime Minister level.  Athens is concerned that 
bilateral relations could be damaged if the prime ministers 
fail to reach an agreement.  Ankara believes the attitude of 
Athens is shaped by tactical considerations.  Meanwhile, 
Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas is due in Ankara this weekend 
for meetings with Turkey's political leaders. 
 
 
Arab-Kurd conflict in Syria:  Fighting has spread between 
Arabs and Kurds in Syria.  Turkey massed troops near the 
Syrian border to halt a possible wave of refugees, papers 
report. Damascus has accused the rioters of collaborating 
with the US, noting that a 20-meter US flag was unfurled 
during one of the demonstrations.  "Yeni Safak" columnist 
Husnu Mahalli claims that a CIA employee was among 30 
demonstrators detained by Syrian police in Damascus over the 
weekend.  Damascus has accused the United States of a 
`foreign intervention' at a time when the US is preparing to 
impose economic sanctions on Syria.  Ankara believes the 
incidents are a Kurdish reaction against repressive regimes 
in Iran and Syria.  Meanwhile, Kongra-Gel's armed wing said 
on Monday it would `not remain indifferent' to Syrian 
`massacres' of Kurds. 
 
 
Jordan's King urges Turkey to smooth ties with Iraq: 
Jordan's King Abdullah, who will arrive today for a two-day 
official visit to Turkey, urged the Turks to resolve their 
problems with neighboring Iraq. "None of Iraq's neighbors is 
prepared to pay the price of a civil war in Iraq," the King 
told CNN-Turk during an interview.  The King noted that 
Turkey, a predominantly Muslim but staunchly secular state, 
has an important role to play in a changed world following 
9/11.  Abdullah said that he would like to see Turkey become 
a member of the EU. 
 
 
European Parliament to discuss report on Turkey:  The 
European Parliament (EP) will discuss on Tuesday a report 
drafted by Dutch parliamentarian Arie Oostlander concerning 
the reform process in Turkey.  The report says that the 
current understanding of secularism in Turkey restricts the 
freedom of religion.  Reforms enacted by the AK Party 
government are laudable, the report continues, but problems 
in implementation continue.  Ankara must display more 
determination in fighting corruption and torture.  Pressure 
on human rights organizations and restrictions on the use of 
Kurdish language should be removed.  The report calls for 
the elimination of state security courts and the release of 
former Kurdish lawmaker Leyla Zana and her co-defendants. 
The report will be debated at the EP General Assembly at the 
end of March. 
 
 
International investors meet in Istanbul:  CEOs from 19 
international firms with a total of $830 billion in sales in 
2003 met at the Investment Advisory Council summit in 
Istanbul on Monday.  The global `giants' urged Turkey to 
speed up privatization and to exert greater control over the 
unregistered economy.  They called for a more effective 
judicial system, a simplified tax system, and the protection 
of intellectual property rights.  The companies also asked 
for a reduction of bureaucratic formalities.  Corporate 
attendees included representatives from Ford Motor Co., 
Lafarge, Siemens, Nestle, CitiGroup, Fiat SpA, Pirelli SpA, 
Unilever NK, Toyota, Hyundai, and Metro AG. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Spanish elections 
 
 
"Change of direction for Spain" 
Sami Kohen commented in the mass appeal Milliyet (3/16): 
"The elections results indicate that the Al-Qaeda terror 
attacks hit Spain not only right in the heart but also at 
the ballot box.  There will certainly be more consequences 
of the terrorist attacks, both in Europe as well as the US. 
Significantly, the New York Times immediately characterized 
the Spanish election results as `a blow against Bush.'  The 
election winner, Socialist party leader Zapatero, voiced a 
very different rhetoric about Spain's Iraq policy by 
standing against participation in coalition forces.  It is 
likely that Zapatero will fine-tune Spanish foreign policy 
based on these considerations. . The general picture shows 
that Al-Qaeda got what it wanted through terror, which will 
probably make the organization feel even stronger." 
 
 
"The Extraordinary Results of the Spanish Elections" 
Oral Calislar commented in the social democratic- 
intellectual Cumhuriyet (3/16):  "The US elections are due 
at the end of this year.  It is obvious that President Bush, 
who already faces the risk of losing, will lose even more 
points following the terrorist incidents and election 
results in Spain.  Things are getting harder for Bush, and 
same goes for Blair.  As a supporter of the occupation, it 
is unlikely that Blair can stand the pressure for too long. 
In the light of September 11, the results of the Spanish 
elections could be considered as a starting point for very 
important changes in the world.  This is the beginning of a 
new era.  The credibility of those who provoked the war and 
the occupation will drop.  Anti-war activists have 
strengthened their position in Europe.We should realize one 
other fact: the political address for the anti-war movement 
in the world is the left.  I believe that Turkey and the 
Turkish left have important lessons to learn from these 
results.  Supporting peace does not mean simply opposing the 
occupation of Iraq.  Supporting peace means to have a 
pacifist stance against the basic problems in Turkey and the 
wider world.  The Spanish people have created a `light of 
hope' for the world.  Having suffered under the Franco 
regime for years, the Spaniards have now produced a result 
that will lead to a great change in the world.  The children 
of the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, who was killed 
during the civil war, have produced what was expected of 
them.  From this point on, we can be more hopeful." 
"Global Resistance to a Global War" 
Ibrahim Karagul argued in the Islamist Yeni Safak (3/16): 
"It may not be clear enough to those who do not want to read 
the signs, but the fact of the matter is that we are going 
through a period of global war.  The Spanish elections have 
made it very clear: the Spanish people toppled the ruling 
party by standing against this war.  The statement of 
Zapatero is something to look at very carefully, because he 
is criticizing unilateral action and a war based on a bunch 
of lies.  Zapatero's decision to withdraw Spanish forces 
from Iraq also opens a debate within the EU about its Iraq 
policy and regional equilibrium. . There are some naive 
people everywhere in the world who take the GME initiative 
about freedom, democracy and welfare at face value.  They 
should uncover their eyes and see the reality: This is not 
about freedom. It is about brutal occupation and looting of 
resources." 
 
 
 
 
EDELMAN