US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2391

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002391 
 
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, 
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US wants Turkish, Spanish troops for Afghanistan front - 
Hurriyet 
Papadopoulos against transfer of EU funds to `TRNC' - 
Milliyet 
EU office in `TRNC' will be another shock for Greeks - 
Turkiye 
Athens believes Annan Plan still alive - Milliyet 
Fallujah in flames - Turkiye 
Air raid on Fallujah - Aksam 
Bomb attack on UN building in Damascus - Sabah 
Terror hits Damascus - Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ambassador Edelman: US won't leave Turkish Cypriots out in 
the cold - Radikal 
Ambassador Edelman: Turkey displayed good intentions on 
Cyprus - Yeni Safak 
Verheugen signals due EU presence in Turkish Cyprus - 
Radikal 
Verheugen says Turkish troops will remain in Cyprus - Zaman 
Boucher lauds `courageous' Turkish Cypriots for backing a 
solution - Cumhuriyet 
Ankara urges OIC support for `TRNC' - Radikal 
Ankara cold to troop deployment in Afghanistan - Zaman 
Bloody clashes in Najaf, 64 resisters killed - Cumhuriyet 
Es-Sadr calls for defense of Najaf - Yeni Safak 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkish troops to Iraq, Afghanistan:  US envoy to NATO Nick 
Burns said that Turkey and Spain, countries with excess 
troop capacity, could contribute to the peacekeeping mission 
in Afghanistan with security operations outside Kabul.  US 
Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman said at an Istanbul 
conference on U.S.-Turkish relations that NATO was currently 
discussing possibilities for deployment of NATO troops 
outside Kabul under Turkish command.  However, papers 
speculate that Turkey's military is not happy with the 
recent American request for Turkish troop deployment in 
Afghanistan since no action has been taken against the PKK 
presence in northern Iraq. 
 
 
Cyprus:  EU foreign ministers have agreed to extend 
financial aid to Turkish Cypriots, say papers.  EU's 
enlargement chief Verheugen said an EU presence post should 
be opened in northern Cyprus.  Verheugen has disregarded 
Greek Cypriot warnings that the EU cannot provide direct 
financial aid to the Turkish Cypriots.  He added that 30,000 
Turkish troops would stay in the north.  Verheugen has also 
criticized `racist' statements by the Greek Cypriot church 
in their campaign for the April 24 referenda, saying that 
treating Turkish Cypriots as second-class citizens was 
unacceptable.  Close EU ties with northern Cypriots would 
not mean recognition of the `TRNC,' he stressed.  Meanwhile, 
MFA officials expect the Greek Cypriot administration to 
press for opening an embassy in Turkey.  They will raise in 
the EU the issue of Turkish troop presence in Cyprus. Ankara 
has urged the ambassadors of the Organization for Islamic 
Conference (OIC) to establish commercial and business ties 
with the `TRNC' before the June 14-16 OIC conference in 
Istanbul, write papers.  US Ambassador to Ankara Eric 
Edelman said in Istanbul on Tuesday that US would work 
closely with its partners in Europe to see that Turkish 
Cypriots `are not left out in the cold.'  The US is 
considering measures such as establishing an official 
American presence in the Turkish Cypriot zone, entering into 
tourism cooperation with the Turkish Cypritos, opening the 
airport in the north to international flights, and allowing 
export of Turkish Cypriot goods, according to papers. 
 
 
Interview with Congressman Wexler:  "Ankara's Cyprus policy 
has positively changed the US view of Turkey, and this is 
further evidence that Turkey's democracy has matured," 
Congressman Robert Wexler said to "Radikal."  Ankara's 
attitude with regard to Cyprus has drawn Turkey closer to 
EU, Wexler added.  "Until recently, our relationship with 
Turkey was established on the dialogue between the 
militaries of the two countries.  Today it is a relationship 
between the two democracies.  We appreciate the functioning 
democracy in Turkey, and we are happy to see that the 
Turkish people's views are echoed in the parliament.  Iraq 
has taught us a lesson that our relationship with allies 
ruled by democracy should not be solely based on the 
relationship between the militaries," Wexler emphasized. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
 
a)  Iraq 
b)  Cyprus 
 
 
"Iraq" 
Murat Celikkan argued in liberal-intellectual Radikal 
(4/28): "The US forces in Iraq are doing their best to make 
the press ineffective.  General Kimmet gave the order to 
take al- Jazira television out of Fallujah.  Moreover, 
Iraq's pro-Al Sadr newspaper was closed down.  It seems the 
first priority for the US forces in Iraq, who are supposed 
to be there to bring democracy, is to silence the voice of 
the media.  The so-called democracy in Iraq is US- patented 
and it continues favoritism in bureaucratic appointments, 
just as the Saddam administration used to.  US-appointed 
Governing Council member Ahmed Chalabi has asked his cousin 
to be in charge of the trials of former Iraqi officials from 
the Saddam era.  His cousin has zero experience in such a 
field, yet favoritism prevailed once again.  . The solution 
is simple: The occupation should end as soon as possible and 
all Iraqis should be able to participate in free elections 
with no intervention from the US." 
 
 
"New Middle East, New NATO and New Cyprus" 
Serdar Turgut argued in the sensational-mass appeal Aksam 
(4/28): "Looking at the Cyprus question from a narrow 
perspective does not provide the real picture of what is 
going to happen in the region.  Very few commentators are 
looking at the Cyprus issue from a strategic point of view, 
which is a pity since military strategy is the only concept 
that matters to the US and UK in their assessment of the 
Cyprus issue.  The US is working on a new strategy to 
introduce during the upcoming NATO summit. The gist of this 
strategy is about directing the Greater Middle East project 
from American bases in Cyprus.  The world's most effective 
intelligence unit, ECHELON, will be coordinated in Cyprus. 
Details can be found in the April 10 edition of the Asia 
Times. . We should be prepared for the upcoming NATO Summit. 
The US is going to intensify its efforts to convince NATO 
and EU members about the establishment of an American base 
in Cyprus.  If this does not work, the US will definitely 
try to persuade Turkey to establish a base in the north of 
Cyprus." 
 
 
"Don't Expect Any Cash Prizes" 
Mehmet Ali Birand commented in the sensational/mass appeal 
Posta (4/28):  "Some commentators are constantly saying, 
`The Turkish Cypriots should be rewarded immediately for 
their acceptance of the plan and the Greek Cypriots should 
pay for their rejection of it.'  This viewpoint is close to 
getting out of control because some are calling for 
immediate results.  In other words, the European Union 
Council of Ministers or their leaders should immediately 
reward the Turkish Cypriots while punishing the Greeks. 
However, patience dominates international relations.  We 
have to wait and play the game according to the rules.  On 
the other hand, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Verheugen's 
statement after the commission meeting in Luxemburg was full 
of remarks that pointed toward a plan being 
formulated.According to his statements, the TRNC will not be 
recognized as a state, but relations will be built without 
declaring its status.  In other words, the Greek Cypriots 
will not be able to represent the entire island.  The 
commission will ensure the lifting of all the trade and 
economic embargoes on the Turkish side.  It appears that the 
current border will continue to divide the sides.  Moreover, 
financial assistance will be given directly to the TRNC, not 
via Greek Cyprus.  The fact which everyone has to get used 
to is that we are entering an uncertain period.  The 
certainties we have lived with for the past 30 years are 
changing.  We need to produce visionary and creative 
policies.  If we do not produce them, someone else will 
present them to us.  Therein lies the danger." 
EDELMAN