US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2109

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002109 
 
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, 
SUNDAY-MONDAY, APRIL 11-12, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Turkish Business Tycoon Sabanci Dies - All papers (4/11) 
Coalition in Trouble in Iraq - Hurriyet (4/11) 
Intelligence Reports Warned Bush Before 9/11 Attacks - 
Hurriyet (4/11) 
US Asks For Cease-Fire in Iraq - Milliyet(4/11) 
Erdogan to Denktas: "Go Back to Cyprus" - Milliyet 
Two Turkish Hostages Freed in Iraq - Milliyet 
State Ceremony For Sabanci's Funeral - Sabah 
Bush Did Not Take 9/11 Warnings Seriously - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
FT: Istanbul A Favorite Meeting Place For Terrorists - 
Radikal (4/11) 
Ankara Orders Denktas to be Quiet - Cumhuriyet 
Critical Days in Cyprus - Radikal 
Despite Cease-Fire, Fighting Continues in Iraq - Zaman 
BBC Survey Shows US As World's Biggest Threat - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Death of Sakip Sabanci:  Turkish business tycoon Sakip 
Sabanci passed away at a hospital in Istanbul on Saturday 
morning.  Sabanci was president of Sabanci Holding, one of 
the two largest family-owned industrial holding companies in 
Turkey.  Sabanci was a popular, colorful businessman who 
left a significant philanthropic legacy throughout the 
country.  He will be buried today in Istanbul in a state 
ceremony. 
 
 
Cyprus:  All papers today report on the strong warning by 
Prime Minister Erdogan to Denktas make his case for opposing 
the Cyprus referendum to his people in Cyprus rather than to 
`marginal groups' in Turkey.   "Cumhuriyet" reports that 
Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Arinc criticized Denktas for 
holding meetings on the Cyprus issue in Ankara and Bursa. 
PM Erdogan's statement  about Denktas' meetings with 
`marginal groups' drew sharp criticism by non-governmental 
organizations and other political parties.  A headline in 
left-leaning "Cumhuriyet" read `Everyone except the AKP 
labeled as marginal!'   "Radikal" reports that the Greek- 
Cypriot communist party AKEL will oppose the UN plan in the 
referendum campaign, an important blow against hopes that 
the referendum will pass on both sides of the island.  `TRNC 
PM' Talat, meanwhile, continues to campaign for a `yes' vote 
in the North.  "Sabah" reports that Denktas has been invited 
to the Turkish Parliament on April 15 to deliver a speech on 
the Cyprus issue.  Saturday's "Milliyet" says the US 
Administration is working to obtain a `yes' vote on April 
24.  A high level US official in Washington said that new 
investment and financial assistance would be offered to the 
`TRNC' if the UN plan is rejected by the Greek Cypriots and 
approved by the Turkish side.  "Hurriyet" interpreted the 
comment as a signal that the United States would lift its de 
facto embargo on Northern Cyprus. 
PM Erdogan Visits Japan:  PM Erdogan left for Japan on 
Saturday for an official visit.  A large delegation 
including 100 businessmen and 40 journalists accompanied the 
Prime Minister. 
 
 
Azerbaijan's President Aliyev comes to Turkey:  "Cumhuriyet" 
reports that Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev will come 
to Turkey tomorrow for his first official visit.  He will 
seek Turkish support for Azerbaijan in the country's long- 
running conflict with Armenia. 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
"Baghdad Days" 
Asli Aydintasbas wrote from Washington for the mass appeal 
"Sabah" (4/12):  "The uprising in Sadr and Fallujah has 
strengthened the Americans' willingness to deliver Iraq's 
administration to the new UN representative, Lakhdir 
Brahimi. .  Brahimi aims to expand the Iraqi Governing 
Council (IGC) in a way to include the Sunni and other 
elements in the country. .  Shiite and Kurdish leaders claim 
that Brahimi is an Arab nationalist, and that he has no 
legitimacy in Iraq because of the alleged scandal in the UN 
oil-for-food program.  However, Washington has sent the IGC 
a clear message to `shut up.' .  The new US envoy to replace 
Bremer after June 30 will either be State Department Deputy 
Secretary Richard Armitage or White House Iraq policy shaper 
 
SIPDIS 
Robert Blackwill.  Ankara has not been on good terms with 
Bremer.  With this change of office, Ankara might seize an 
opportunity to make a new beginning in relations with 
Baghdad." 
 
 
"Law and the struggle against terrorism" 
Gunduz Aktan commented in the intellectual/opinion maker 
"Radikal" (4/12):  "US forces have besieged Fallujah and 
killed 300 Iraqi civilians as a punitive action for the 
ferocious killing of four American civilians.  The 
international community has accused US of using excessive 
force. .  US forces' simultaneous attack on the es-Sadr 
militia has changed the nature of the war in Iraq. . 
Clashes have spread to Najaf and Karbala, and groups loyal 
to al-Hakim and moderate Shiite leader Ayatollah Sistani 
have joined in the resistance against US forces. .  The US 
has thus managed to unite the Sunni with all Shiite groups. 
.  Shiite and Sunni solidarity in a unified resistance will 
strengthen Arab nationalism.  If the US grants sovereignty 
to the Kurds, clashes will spread to northern Iraq.  The 
Kurds would then be at risk of another catastrophe, like 
those they have suffered so many times in their history. 
Such developments would render invalid the annual US report 
on human rights practices around the world, as these reports 
do not include Iraq, where the worst violations are taking 
place.  The US will then lose its leading role in the field 
of human rights." 
EDELMAN