US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2541

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002541 
 
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, MAY 5, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
`TRNC PM' Talat Urges Powell to Lift Embargoes - Hurriyet 
No `Positive Support' for Women From AKP Government - 
Hurriyet 
Imam-Hatips Will be Converted to Regular High Schools- 
Hurriyet 
AKP Revenge for February 28 on Imam-Hatip Issue - Milliyet 
Approval for Constitutional Amendments - Milliyet 
Blow on Higher Education Board - Sabah 
US CG David Arnett: Torture Pictures are `Shameful' - Sabah 
Harsh Reactions to Coalition Forces For Torturing Iraqis - 
Turkiye 
PM Erdogan: Turkey to Look For `New Horizons' If Denied EU 
Entry - Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
AKP Reforms Give New Rights to Imam-Hatip Graduates - 
Radikal 
Equality for Men and Women Rejected by Parliament - Radikal 
Ankara Reacts to Torture in Iraq - Radikal 
Bush Media Censorship For Torture News - Cumhuriyet 
8 Turks Still in Guantanamo - Cumhuriyet 
Full Parliamentary Support For Constitutional Amendments - 
Zaman 
Former US Diplomats Angry With Bush Policies - Zaman 
Guantanamo also A Torture Base - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Constitutional Amendments:  "Milliyet" reports that the 
constitutional reforms for EU harmonization were debated at 
the parliament yesterday and more than 500 deputies voted to 
approve them.  The reforms are intended to ensure equality 
between men and women, scrap all references to the death 
penalty in the constitution, and abolish the State Security 
Court system.  "Aksam" notes that the parliament rejected a 
proposal for affirmative action for women.  Papers also 
report on the new education reform draft, which will be 
debated in parliament tomorrow.  "Radikal" reports that the 
educational reforms by the AKP government would abolish the 
Higher Education Board (YOK) and give imam-hatip high school 
graduates will be given the same rights as regular high 
school graduates in entering the universities.  "Milliyet" 
interprets the new regulation as the government's revenge 
for the February 28 process in which the Turkish military 
forced the Islamist-led government from power.  "Aksam" says 
that YOK will hold an extraordinary meeting tomorrow to 
discuss the new regulations. 
 
 
Iraqi Prisoners:  The shocking torture pictures of Iraqi 
prisoners continue to draw harsh international reaction. 
Criticism in the Turkish press has been extremely harsh. 
"Radikal" reports PM Erdogan's remark that the Turkish 
public had been deeply hurt by the abuses.  Erdogan urged 
that those responsible for the abuse should be brought to 
justice.  Justice Minister Cemil Cicek described the 
incidents as `pure brutality.'  Opposition party leaders 
also criticized the abuse, claiming that the actons of US 
forces violated the Geneva Conventions.  "Aksam" and "Sabah" 
note that US Consul General in Istanbul, Davit Arnett 
characterized the instances of abuse as `shameful' in a 
speech to a university audience last night. 
 
 
Erdogan Remarks on EU Entry:   "Hurriyet" and "Turkiye" 
report that in an address to AKP deputies yesterday, PM 
Erdogan said that Turkey will find `new horizons' for its 
potential if it is denied entry into the European Union. 
 
 
Turkish Trucks Delayed at EU Borders:  "Milliyet" and 
"Cumhuriyet" report that Turkish truckers have faced 
significant delays in entering EU countries because their 
vehicle insurance policies do not apply to the Republic of 
Cyprus, now an EU member.  The reports claim that the 
truckers have lost time at border crossings and, in some 
instances, been forced to pay 100-300 USD to purchase new 
policies that cover all EU countries. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq Prisoner Abuse 
 
 
"Torture" 
Hasan Cemal observed in the mass appeal Milliyet (5/5): 
"Torture is a crime against humanity, and nothing can 
justify it -- neither war nor terrorism.  The torture 
pictures from Iraq have created a colossal mark of shame for 
humanity.  Condemning these unspeakable actions is our duty. 
President Bush and Prime Minister Blair must take 
responsibility for this scandal.  If they fail to take 
action by punishing all of those responsible, there will be 
no way to justify their fight against global terrorism. . 
The right approach for the future of Iraq is for the US to 
take more specific steps toward putting the international 
community in charge, including both NATO and the UN.  The US 
should engage more with the EU on cooperation in Iraq.  The 
US should also end its pro-Sharon policy.  It might also be 
the right decision for the American people not to re-elect 
George Bush." 
 
 
"The Greater Rape Project" 
Mehmet Ocaktan stated in the Islamist-opinion maker Yeni 
Safak (5/5): "Pictures showing occupation forces torturing 
and raping do not represent an isolated incident.  These are 
part of systematic torture, and even represent torture as a 
state's official policy.  This is not a matter of 
interpretation. General Kaprinski has already acknowledged 
that torture and abuse are the military's official policy. . 
It is beyond shame to see that the whole world remains 
silent about this horror.  I am afraid that such silence 
will open the door to more tragedy.  The shameful pictures 
from Iraq are the manifestation of the loss of the values of 
human rights and freedoms.  I wonder if global capitalism is 
now working toward bringing democracy to the people of the 
Middle East by raping them. . This is the beginning of the 
end for the two occupying forces in Iraq -- the US and the 
UK." 
 
 
"Who's downed the eagle?" 
Abdulhamit Bilici wrote in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" 
(5/5):  "A year after the capture of Iraq, President Bush 
has acknowledged that the war in Iraq is not over.  There 
were 136 American casualties in Iraq during April. .  The 
Americans could not break the resistance in Fallujah, and 
they are in deep trouble with Moktada el-Sadr's Mahdi Army 
militia in Baghdad and Najaf.  The Americans are also not on 
good terms with the moderate Shiite leader Sistani. .  US 
and British troops' mistreatment of Iraqi captives did not 
help at all.  Images that made the Iraqis long for the time 
of Saddam have been another blow to the battered image of 
the Americans.  It is this overall picture that made 50 
former US diplomats raise their voices against the Bush 
Administration's Middle East policies.  The diplomats 
stressed that US support for Sharon's unlawful killings, the 
security fence, and unilateral Israeli plans for a pullout 
from Gaza have cost the US credibility, prestige and 
friends.  Americans should hold responsible those who have 
deliberately `downed the Eagle,' as Immanuel Wallerstein put 
it two years ago." 
EDELMAN