US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1880

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001880 
 
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 30, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Annan Plan says Turkish troops will stay - Hurriyet 
Bush urges leaders to do their best for a solution - Sabah 
Huge step toward Cyprus solution - Aksam 
Annan boosts hope - Milliyet 
Baykal: CHP successful in the election - Hurriyet 
Baykal claims CHP increased votes - Turkiye 
2,000 Kurds under detention in Syria - Aksam 
Clarke's memoirs bring $1 million - Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Erdogan to Switzerland, bolstered by poll results - Zaman 
EU accepts Turks' demands on derogations - Cumhuriyet 
`Turkish state' takes the stage in Cyprus - Radikal 
Greek Cypriots disappointed in new UN plan - Radikal 
Greek Cypriot priests launch `No' campaign - Cumhuriyet 
Baykal declares CHP `victory' in the poll - Radikal 
AKP democratization moves beat DEHAP in the Southeast - 
Zaman 
Rice refuses to testify - Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Cyprus:  The Greek and Greek Cypriot sides in the Cyprus 
talks say that the latest UN plan for reuniting Cyprus 
includes many negative points for them, and the Greek press 
is reporting that the plan will be rejected.  The Greek 
Cypriot government reportedly considers the plan as 
unacceptable.  The fourth plan presented by Annan responds 
to Turkey's desire to strengthen the bi-zonal character of 
the island, thus ensuring political equality and security. 
President Bush called Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis on 
Monday to encourage him to achieve a settlement.  The latest 
UN plan reduces the number of Greek Cypriot migrants moving 
to the north to 18 percent from the previous 21 percent. 
The plan denies voting rights to Greek Cypriots living in 
the Turkish sector.  Greek Cypriot applications to European 
courts on land and property issues will be made to the 
judiciary of the constituent state.  The number of Turkish 
troops on the island will be gradually reduced to 3,000 by 
2018, according to the new plan.  Before leaving Ankara for 
Switzerland on Monday, PM Erdogan called EU leaders urging 
them to make the Cyprus deal part of EU primary law. 
 
 
March 28 local election:  The ruling AK Party won a majority 
of municipalities in weekend local elections, receiving 41.8 
percent of the vote, far ahead of its nearest rival CHP, 
which won 18.1 percent.  Turnout in the elections declined 
to 69.4 percent from 79 percent in the 2002 vote, with the 
AK Party increasing its support by two million votes while 
the number of CHP votes fell by 500,000.  However, 
opposition leader and Republican People's Party (CHP) 
chairman Deniz Baykal declared on Monday that the election 
was a `victory' for his party as it increased its share of 
the vote by eight percentage points over the previous 
municipal elections in 1999.  Despite losing many CHP 
strongholds including his hometown of Antalya, Baykal said 
he had no intention of stepping down from the party 
leadership.   "Yeni Safak" wrote that the Turkish people 
have increased support for the AK Party because it is a 
force for change, but have remained distant from CHP because 
it backed the status quo.  Pro-Kurdish DEHAP, which joined 
an alliance of left-wing parties in the election, lost some 
of its strongholds in the southeast to the AKP as a result 
of the government's steps towards democratization, "Zaman" 
reports.  In an official statement released on Monday, DEHAP 
leaders acknowledged `the Democratic Unity movement was not 
able to attain success throughout Turkey in the election.' 
 
 
 Transparency International survey on corruption:  "Radikal" 
carries a survey on global corruption conducted by the 
Gallup organization in 47 countries on behalf of 
Transparency International (TI).  56.6 percent of Turks 
surveyed in the study believe that domestic corruption will 
increase, and only 12 percent think it will diminish.  Turks 
believe that Turkey's performance regarding transparency and 
honesty has deteriorated, according to the study.  Turkey 
ranked 77th worldwide, down from a previous ranking of 64th 
on the `Corruption Awareness Index' for 2004.  The report 
was issued by TI.  Meanwhile, Turkey has officially signed 
on to the European Convention on the Struggle Against 
Corruption, "Radikal" reports. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a)  Iraq 
b)  US-Turkey Relations 
 
 
"Iraq on the eve of a new era" 
Fikret Ertan noted in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman 
(3/30): "A new era will begin in Iraq in exactly 3 months 
time.  Sovereignty will be transferred to a civilian 
authority, yet the American presence will be remain, albeit 
in a different form.  There are ongoing, intense 
negotiations behind closed doors between the Iraqi Governing 
Council and the US.  The US goal is to legitimize its 
military presence after June 30.  According to some leaked 
information, the US is going to establish a system for Iraq 
that is compatible with the Pentagon in an effort to control 
the new Iraqi army.  . The US policy for the new Iraq also 
includes the establishment of 6 permanent military bases 
together with the UK.  The locations of the six bases will 
undoubtedly provide the US and UK complete control over 
Iraqi territory.  These bases will also play a deterrent 
role toward Iraq's neighbors.  It seems logical that these 
military bases in Iraq will be the main pillars of American 
and British policy in the Middle East." 
 
 
"Election results and foreign policy" 
Ibrahim Karagul argued in the Islamist-opinion maker Yeni 
Safak (3/30): "The international press interpreted the 
election results as clear support for Turkey's EU policy and 
progress toward a Cyprus settlement.  In fact, the two 
issues should not be placed in the same category.  The 
Turkish public has given significant support for the EU, but 
there is still confusion and skepticism over the Cyprus 
issue. . Turkish public opinion has also showed a very clear 
stance regarding the government's relations with the United 
States.  The Turkish public opposes the US policy of 
aggression and considers the US as a threat to both the 
country and the region. . The Turkish public immediately 
reacts against anything coming from the US, yet almost 
always supports initiatives coming from the EU.  There is a 
remarkable difference in Turkish public opinion between its 
anti-American feelings and more comfortable approach toward 
the EU.  The election result means that Ankara should turn 
its face toward Brussels, not Washington." 
 
 
EDELMAN