US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2717

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002717 
 
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, 
THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Zarkawi executioner of Nick Berg - Hurriyet 
Zarkawi's revenge for abused Iraqis - Aksam 
Decapitation shock in US - Milliyet 
Bush: Killers aim to shake our will, they won't succeed - 
Hurriyet 
Private England: `I was ordered to photograph abused Iraqis' 
- Sabah 
AKP hurries to pass `Imam Hatip' bill - Milliyet 
AKP, CHP duel on education reform bill - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Al-Qaida tape of decapitation worse than US torture of 
Iraqis - Zaman 
Nick Berg's father blames Bush - Cumhuriyet 
Vatican: For Americans, abuse of Iraqis worse than 9/11 - 
Radikal 
High-ranking US commanders blamed for torture in Iraq - 
Radikal 
PM Erdogan against US sanctions on Syria - Zaman 
PM Hariri: US Syria sanctions extremely disturbing for 
Lebanon - Radikal 
Speaker Arinc: Iraqis must join forces for a solution - Yeni 
Safak 
Intensive clashes in Karbala - Cumhuriyet 
US planes continue bombing Karbala, 25 killed - Yeni Safak 
Greek Cypriots open to new referendum, want changes to Annan 
Plan - Zaman 
Oil prices soar over $40 - Yeni Safak 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Educational reform bill:  The AK Party government sent the 
higher education reform bill to parliament on Wednesday amid 
criticism from the secularist groups, especially the 
military, that the legislation will increase the influence 
of Islam in education.  The CHP has strongly criticized the 
bill, saying that proposed changes would undermine the 
secularist establishment.  CHP leader Baykal blamed the AK 
Party for exploiting religion for the sake of political 
gains.  The tensions over the education reform have spoiled 
Turkey's positive image abroad created by the passage of EU 
harmonization laws, says "Hurriyet."  A US official said to 
"Hurriyet" on the condition of anonymity that Turkey should 
refrain from moves that can derail the country on its way to 
the EU.  `Secularism and democracy are traits that bring 
Turkey into conformity with Western values.  Moves that 
might be seen as intervention in the democratic system or 
efforts to increase the role of religion in education and 
the overall regime will eventually hurt Turkey.  Turkey must 
concentrate its energy on getting a date from the EU for 
full membership talks by the end of this year,' the US 
official reportedly said.  On Wednesday, Land Forces 
Commander Gen. Aytac Yalman and the Aegean Army Commander 
Gen. Hursit Tolon voiced support for the TG S statement 
criticizing the education bill.  Protests against the bill 
are gaining pace, with students to protest at parliament on 
Thursday and university staff to hold a silent protest at 
Ataturk's mausoleum on Friday. 
 
 
Ankara on US sanctions on Syria; Israel:  PM Erdogan on 
Wednesday criticized a decision by the US to impose 
sanctions on Syria, saying they would prove 
counterproductive.  "I don't think embargoes are in 
accordance with human rights in this era.  This approach 
does not help a solution but increases the problem.  The way 
to peace and globalization is not through embargoes," PM 
Erdogan said during a joint news conference with the 
visiting Lebanese PM Rafik al-Hariri.  Erdogan also said 
Israel's plan to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza, but retain 
most of its West Bank settlements, was "not right, nor aimed 
at a solution."  Hariri urged Turkey to support a natural 
gas project that aims to carry Egyptian gas to Europe via 
Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. 
 
 
AKP lawmakers criticize US, UK on Iraq:  On Wednesday, 
deputy parliamentary speaker AKP lawmaker Sadik Yakut said 
US and Britain would be `drowned in the blood they have shed 
in Iraq.'  The head of the Turkish-Syrian friendship group, 
AKP's Yuksel Cavusoglu, condemned at a press conference 
yesterday the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, and criticized the 
`sadistic' acts of American soldiers.  Such harsh statements 
have created a sensitive atmosphere on the eve of the May 17 
Ankara visit of Britain's Tony Blair, say papers.  PM 
Erdogan will pay a visit to England May 27-29. 
 
 
Greek Cypriots not against a new referendum:  A public 
opinion survey conducted by RAI Co. in south Cyprus on May 6- 
8 shows that 51 percent of the Greek Cypriots want the Annan 
Plan to be re-voted in south Cyprus if additional guarantees 
are given on the implementation and security issues, papers 
cite the Greek Cypriot daily "Politis."  Only 29 percent 
have opted for restarting negotiations with the Turks 
without the Annan Plan.  Turkish Cypriot leader Denktas said 
of the survey that Greek Cypriots had no right to force 
Turks into a new referendum.  `The Annan Plan is annulled 
since one of the sides has rejected it.  But we are ready to 
hold talks with the Greek Cypriots under new conditions,' 
Denktas said. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq 
 
 
"Future of Iraq" 
Cengiz Candar noted in the conservative-sensational DB 
Tercuman (5/13): "Although there was some invalid US 
arguments about the Iraq war, such as the verification of 
WMD, the fact of the matter is that Saddam regime is 
completely over in Iraq, and this is a good thing.  Brutal 
regimes like the Saddam regime should be erased from human 
history.  The ideal solution was to have him toppled via 
internal forces, yet it did not happen. . Today the focus 
should be the future of Iraq rather than unnecessary debates 
about whether or not the war was justifiable.  The US vision 
for Iraq, as stated from the beginning, is a democratic Iraq 
with territorial integrity.  The formula to achieve this 
goal is a federal Iraq.  The Abu Ghraib photos created a 
fatal blow against the American intentions, yet American 
vision for Iraq's future remains a valid as well as a legal 
goal. . The US should not abandon its policy of transferring 
authority to Iraqis.  Transfer of authority must be 
coordinated with an election calendar.  The US should also 
take steps toward fairness in the Israel-Palestine conflict, 
and urgently discard its `pro-Israel' image.   As for the 
Abu Gharib scandal, the US should make sure that the 
responsible persons, including the responsible political 
rank, receive severe punishment." 
 
 
"Torture Overshadows the GME" 
Murat Yetkin wrote in liberal-intellectual Radikal (5/13): 
"The G-8 Foreign Ministers conference in Washington was 
originally designed to discuss the Greater Middle East 
Initiative.  The US was expecting some contribution from EU 
members of G-8 as well as Russia, which would help prevent 
the GME from being labeled an `American project.'  This 
issue remains on the agenda of the conference.  However, the 
Abu Ghraib scandal has become the number one priority item. 
The ministers of the G-8 will discuss at length the torture 
and abuse scandal, and also the future of Iraq, particularly 
after the transfer of authority on June 30. . There is still 
a major opportunity for international cooperation, not only 
for Iraq's future but also for the future of the Middle 
East, if Secretary Powell can bring a satisfactory plan for 
Iraq's future before the G-8 members." 
"Bush's Chance For Re-Election" 
Yilmaz Oztuna commented in the conservative-mass appeal 
Turkiye (5/13):  "The  civilized world,  which defends not 
only the human rights but also rights for every living 
creature, has every right to react to ongoing torture news. 
The spread of such disgusting crime among the US military, 
which has a mission to bring peace to the world, is proof 
that the world will continue to suffer in this new era. 
Unfortunately, this issue is being evaluated in the US for 
its effects on the President's re-election possibilities. 
The President is the head of the executioners.  He has great 
authority in every issue, including the use of the nuclear 
weapons.  In return, he is the responsible authority for 
everything. The US elections will be held in six months 
time.  Despite all the problems in Iraq, today's opinion is 
in favor of Bush's re-election because the Democratic 
Party's candidate is not very strong.  Besides, Americans 
don't like to change presidents at a time of war.  If you 
ask `who is America's enemy, whom they are fighting with', 
you cannot get a standard answer to this question.  But, it 
is clear that the torture accusations will create more 
enemies for the US.  The only way for the US to get rid of 
these negative feelings is to punish the criminals for 
life." 
 
 
EDELMAN