US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1698

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001698 
 
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, MARCH 22, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Basbug: "Secular and Moderate IslamCannot Co-Exist" - 
Milliyet (3/20) 
Worldwide Protests on First Anniversary of Iraq War - 
Hurriyet (3/21) 
PM Erdogan: "We Want With Denktas in Switzerland" - Sabah 
(3/21) 
Al-Qaeda Possesses Portable Nuclear Bomb - Hurriyet 
De Soto Meets Foreign Ministry Officials in Ankara - 
Hurriyet 
Nevruz Celebrated in Turkey - Sabah 
De Soto in Ankara - Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
First Anniversary of Iraq Operation - Radikal (3/20) 
Basbug: "Turkey is A Secular Country" - Cumhuriyet (3/20) 
`TRNC' Does Not Want Annan Plan - Cumhuriyet - (3/21) 
Turkey Prepares For Talks in Switzerland Without Denktas - 
Cumhuriyet 
Nevruz Celebrated Without Incidents - Zaman 
Erdogan Wants to Go to Switzerland With Denktas - Zaman 
Schroeder: "Turkey is Important For Germany" - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Cyprus:  "Radikal" reports that UN Cyprus envoy De Soto came 
to Ankara on Sunday to discuss developments in Cyprus with 
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and other 
ministry officials.  The sides agreed that a way must be 
found to overcome the risk that the agreement could be 
challenged in court once it is approved.  De Soto stressed 
that the UN is in contact with the EU on this issue, and 
expressed understanding for Turkish concerns.  Meanwhile, 
Turkish officials reviewed Turkey's Cyprus Road Map just 
before the four-party talks in Switzerland.  "Cumhuriyet" 
notes that Turkey outlined its `red lines' without 
consulting Denktas, and wants EU countries to solve the 
primary law problem during the summit in Brussels March 25- 
26.  "Yeni Safak" reports that PM Erdogan stressed that he 
would prefer that Denktas participates in the four-party 
talks in Switzerland. 
 
 
General Basbug Comments:  At the end of his visit to the 
U.S., Deputy Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug said that 
the PKK issue and GME project were at the top of his agenda 
in meetings with US officials.  On GME, Basbug said that 
Turkey should not be used as a model for the region. 
General Basbug stressed that Turkey is a secular state, and 
cannot be a moderate Islamic state at the same time.  In 
response to General Basbug's comments, PM Erdogan said that 
secularism is not a religion, and it cannot be compared to 
Islam.  According to Erdogan, secularism is the guarantee 
that everyone can live in his own way based on his religious 
beliefs. 
 
 
Osman Ocalan Takes Refuge with KDP:  Today's "Yeni Safak" 
claims that Osman Ocalan and 300 members of his PKK splinter 
group have taken refuge in territory in Northern Iraq 
controlled by Barzani's KDP.  The article noted that Ocalan 
was previously thought to have turned himself in to US 
forces in Iraq.  "Yeni Safak" also notes that US forces 
foiled the latest effort to sabotage the Kerkuk-Yumurtalik 
pipeline.  US troops reportedly arrived at the site of the 
attempted sabotage in time to defuse the bomb that would 
have re-cut the flow of oil from Kerkuk. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
"Red lines in Cyprus" 
Cuneyt Ulsever observed in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" 
(3/22):  "The political establishment in the TRNC is openly 
inciting fears about the Annan Plan among settlers from the 
Turkish mainland. .  The goal appears to be to stir up 
opposition against a referendum on the plan.  Rauf Denktas' 
son Serdar will be the most critical figure in determining 
the outcome of the referendum.  Within the pro-Denktas 
front, Serdar Denktas represents those who are more open to 
the UN-backed integration plan.  Denktas Jr. will be 
manipulating those who have a sympathetic view of his 
father, but support the Annan Plan as well.  Serdar Denktas 
is at a crossroads: He will either follow his father and be 
relegated to the history books, or he will become a new 
Denktas who carries Cyprus and Turkey to the future." 
 
 
"Road to Switzerland" 
Asli Aydintasbas wrote from Washington for the mass appeal 
"Sabah" (3/22):  Washington believes that TRNC leader Rauf 
Denktas' absence at the Switzerland talks will not be a 
loss, but rather an advantage. .  No one in Washington is 
bothered that Denktas is openly launching a campaign to 
reject the Annan Plan and staying out of the peace process. 
Washington believes that an agreement supported by PM 
Erdogan will be accepted by the Turkish Cypriots. . 
Washington is actually interested in whether Serdar Denktas 
will go to Switzerland, and in the extent of support he will 
provide for a settlement.  An American diplomat compares 
Serdar's position to that of Hamlet - he is stuck between 
his father and the future of his country. .  It is clear 
that, compared with the Turks, Papadopoulos has been less 
than forthcoming with the position of the Greek Cypriot 
side.  This has caused problems at the negotiations.  Both 
Washington and the UN are worried about a possible Greek 
Cypriot refusal of the Annan Plan at referendum. .  US 
officials remain optimistic that expectations on both sides 
on the island can be met to a certain extent." 
 
 
"Arab-Kurd war" 
Dr. Husnu Mahalli, a Syrian journalist writing regularly for 
the Islamist/opinion maker "Yeni Safak" claimed (3/22): 
"The PKK is the instigator of the riots in Syria.  The 
organization is trying to prove to the US Administration 
that it still has influence in the region.  The organization 
will attempt similar incidents in Turkey after the local 
elections. .  Damascus now has a young leader determined to 
establish friendly relations with Turkey.  Ankara view 
Bashar Assad as honest and sincere.  Despite all the 
domestic and international obstacles, Assad has taken 
significant steps toward democratization and liberalization. 
Even while the US talks about democracy, human rights and 
freedom in its Greater Middle East project, the US is trying 
to prevent Syrian efforts in this direction.  The US is 
actually against liberalization for Arab nations, because 
free Arab nations will get rid of their American 
collaborator administrations.  The US is in partial control 
of the Arab world, and aims to control the whole region 
through the GME project.  There is only one real obstacle 
left for the US: Turkey's friend Syria.  Now the US is 
aiming to remove that barrier." 
 
 
"The opposition void in Turkey" 
Koray Duzgoren observed in the Islamist/opinion maker "Yeni 
Safak" (3/22):  "The March 28 municipal elections will make 
it clear that the Republican People's Party (CHP) has 
severed its deeply-rooted ties with the nation.  It can no 
longer be considered to be a serious opposition party. .  It 
is very possible that the `Democratic Unity' formed between 
the Social Democrat People's Party (SHP) and the pro-Kurdish 
Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) will replace CHP as the 
main opposition after the local elections. .  Recent rallies 
organized for the Unity bloc in southeastern provinces like 
Cizre, Sirnak and Silopi, and even further west in Mersin, 
have shown enormous support for the movement. .  The March 
28 elections will probably introduce Turkey to a new 
opposition." 
EDELMAN