US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2240

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002240 
 
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, APRIL 20, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Kurdish Commander for Iraqi Army - Sabah 
Protests Against Denktas - Milliyet 
AKP/CHP Cooperation Against Military Coups - Milliyet 
Denktas Accuses Turkey of Sacrificing Cyprus For the EU - 
Hurriyet 
Erdogan Rejects Israeli Businessmen - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Government Considers 10 Changes in the Constitution -Radikal 
UN confirms: Srebrenica was Genocide - Radikal 
Denktas: Cyprus Sacrificed for EU - Cumhuriyet 
Bremer: Iraq Needs Foreign Support to Establish Security - 
Cumhuriyet 
Crisis in the Bush Cabinet - Cumhuriyet 
Greek Cypriots Censor Verheugen Speeches on TV - Zaman 
US Disappointed With Spanish Military Withdrawal - Zaman 
Powell Crisis in the White House - Yeni Safak 
Bush is the Leader of the Crusaders - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
Cyprus:  "Milliyet" reports that `TRNC President' Rauf 
Denktas visited some villages last weekend in Cyprus to 
campaign against the Annan plan.  However, Denktas was met 
by protesters in almost every village, including Yesilirmak, 
which will be left to the Greek Cypriots if the UN plan is 
accepted.  "Cumhuriyet" reports that Denktas criticized the 
Turkish government harshly for `sacrificing' Cyprus for the 
sake of EU accession.  "Turkiye" notes that `TRNC Prime 
Minister' Mehmet Ali Talat urged people to vote for `yes' at 
the referendum, arguing that the plan will benefit Turkish 
Cypriots.  "Sabah" says that 5 EU countries (Germany, 
Sweden, Britain, Finland and Belgium) have indicated that 
they are ready to recognize the `TRNC' if the UN plan is 
accepted by the Turkish Cypriots and rejected by the Greek 
Cypriots.  The paper also notes that EU Enlargement 
commissioner Verheugen has been barred from speaking on 
Greek Cypriot television in the days leading up to the April 
24 referendum. 
 
 
Constitutional Amendments:   "Sabah" and "Yeni Safak" report 
that Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that a package of 
some amendments will be submitted to the parliament soon. 
Minister Cicek stressed that Turkey needs more extensive 
constitutional reforms, but added that there is not 
sufficient time.  The government will therefore submit a 
more limited package of reforms in the hopes of getting them 
approved in parliament by the middled of May.  Key 
provisions in the constitutional reforms would change the 
structure of the state security courts, remove military 
representatives from state institutions including the Higher 
Education Board (YOK), and provide for increased gender 
equality and freedom of the press. 
 
 
Iraq:  "Cumhuriyet" reports that Iraqi Interim Governor Paul 
Bremer acknowledged that Iraqi Security Forces are not 
capable of establishing security in the country on their own 
after the transition to a new political authority on June 
30.  "Sabah" reports that Babekar Zebari, a Kurdish origin 
Iraqi from the KDP, has been assigned to lead the new Iraqi 
Army. 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
"Greek Cypriot - Russian connection" 
Fikret Ertan wrote in the conservative/intellectual "Zaman" 
(4/20):  "About 20 billion dollars of Russian capital has 
entered Greek Cyprus since 1995.  In that period, the amount 
of illicit Russian money transfer to southern Cyprus has 
never been disclosed. .  Four years ago, American inspectors 
determined that Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic also 
deposited the money he stole from Serbia into Greek Cypriot 
banks.  The Greek Cypriots have never faced any sanctions 
for such illicit money transfers. .  Turkish diplomacy has 
wasted many opportunities in opposing Greek Cypriot 
policies.  This diplomacy has failed to secure international 
recognition for the `TRNC.'  Turkey has not been able to 
defend the cause of Turkish Cypriots. .  Today it would be 
unfair to blame Denktas, who has merely been acting within 
the framework of that diplomacy. .  For centuries, the 
western world has favored the Greek Cypriots.  Their 
position will not change today, even if the Turkish side 
votes for the Annan Plan." 
 
 
"Cyprus: The EU and a new identity" 
Herkul Millas commented in the conservative/intellectual 
"Zaman" (4/20):  "Those supporting the Annan Plan on both 
sides of Cyprus are open to the vision of a common Europe. 
They do not regard the Turks and Greeks as enemies. . 
However, the sides are not ready to live within the 
structure of a joint federal state. .  The Turkish Cypriots' 
acceptance of the UN plan will reduce international pressure 
on Turkey.  The Cyprus issue will then become a problem to 
be settled between the two Cypriot communities.  No matter 
what their opponents say, the AK Party government has been 
the architect of this positive development."EDELMAN