US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2881

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002881 
 
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, 
FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Erdogan: Bombs in Iraq, Palestine amount to `state terror' - 
Vatan 
Ankara: Israel goes too far - Milliyet 
Sharon deals blow to Turkish-Israeli relations - Milliyet 
US angry at Israel - Turkiye 
Pentagon: We hit militants, not a wedding - Sabah 
US troops raid Chalabi's residence - Vatan 
US shifts on Chalabi - Hurriyet 
Second Afghanistan duty for Turkey - Sabah 
TUSIAD: Turkey must continue with IMF - Hurriyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
PM Erdogan: Israel applies state terror - Cumhuriyet 
UN denounces, US criticizes Israel - Radikal 
Sharon kills children in Palestine, US in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Iraq torture scandal deepens with new photos - Zaman 
Hawks hate Hersh for revealing Abu Ghraib photos - Zaman 
US breaks ties with Chalabi - Cumhuriyet 
US operation against `old friend' Chalabi - Radikal 
Chalabi receives Saddam treatment - Yeni Safak 
Chalabi made mistakes that US did not forgive - Sabah 
Gul receives Cyprus support from Moscow - Zaman 
Arafat: Jerusalem belongs to Turks as well - Yeni Safak 
US admits Guantanamo captives are tortured - Yeni Safak 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
Turkey's leaders criticize Israeli operations:  On Thursday, 
PM Erdogan strongly criticized Israel for killing 
Palestinian civilians and demolishing their houses.  `There 
can be no legitimate reason for killing civilians,' Erdogan 
said, and urged world leaders to take action against Israeli 
`state terrorism.'  Meanwhile, FM Gul watned on Thursday 
that recent incidents in Palestine might have a `negative 
effect' on Turkey's relations with Israel.  `Israel has gone 
too far,' Gul said, adding that `attacking civilians is 
unacceptable.'  Meanwhile, seven lawmakers from the Turkish- 
Palestinian Friendship Group met with Palestinian leader 
Arafat in Ramallah yesterday.  `Jerusalem belongs to Turkey 
as well,' Arafat said, adding that Turkey had a 
responsibility to restrain Israel. 
 
 
Turkish troops to Afghanistan:  "Sabah" reports on the front 
page today that the US has asked Turkey to take command of 
the ISAF operation in Afghanistan for a second time 
beginning in February 2005.  If Turkey accepts the command, 
the number of Turkish troops in Afghanistan would increase 
from the current level of 240 to 1,500.  Speaking at the 
airport before departing for Romania, PM Erdogan 
acknowledged that Turkey had been asked to send additional 
troops to Afghanistan.  He said the proposal is under 
consideration, but no decision has been made. 
 
 
Cyprus:  Russian FM Lavrov said in a meeting with Turkish FM 
Gul in Moscow yesterday that Moscow supports establishment 
of trade relations with the Turkish Cypriots.  Lavrov called 
for an end to the economic isolation of northern Cyprus. 
Gul reiterated to Lavrov Turkey's demands for direct 
international flights to northern Cyprus and unrestricted 
access for foreign vessels to Turkish Cypriot ports. 
 
 
PKK establishes new party in Syria:  PKK/Kongra-Gel has 
founded a new political party in Syria, "Cumhuriyet" 
reports.  The paper claims that the newly-established 
Democratic Unity Party (PYD) in an effort to shield the 
organization's illegal activities in the region. 
"Cumhuriyet" asserts that the riots in Syria's Kamishli 
village on the Turkish border in March were provoked by 
2,000 PKK infiltrators into the province.  The terror 
organization is still active in Ukraine, Armenia and 
Azerbaijan. 
 
 
2.5 million Turks attend mosque daily:  2.5 million people 
in Turkey go to the mosque every day, and 11 million Turks 
attend Friday prayers, according to a report prepared by CHP 
lawmaker Bulent Tanla.  55 percent of Turks between 18-25, 
and 71.4 percent of those between 35-46 fast during the holy 
month of Ramadan.  There were 76,445 mosques in Turkey as of 
January 2004, and 1,420 new mosques are under construction. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq 
 
 
"The Future of Iraq" 
Ferai Tinc observed in the mass appeal Hurriyet (5/21): 
"American military sources are claiming that the recent 
military operation near the Iraqi-Syrian border was not an 
attack against civilians, but rather targeted a group of 
resistance fighters.  These claims are not being taken 
seriously by the Arab press.  Similarly, the claim by 
Israeli officials that Israeli forces are not targeting 
children in Gazza is also being discounted.  The Middle East 
is moving toward a colossal crisis. . The US has started 
working on a plan to transfer authority to Iraqis.  We 
should read this as transferring authority to pro-American 
figures within the Iraqi political structure.  The 
elimination of Ahmad Chalabi as a political force is part of 
this process.  However, the US plan does not have any chance 
for success.  The US-designed new Iraqi administration will 
receive no support from the people, particularly in the 
light of recent scandals involving US forces in Iraq.  Even 
the most moderate Iraqis will not agree to be ruled by a 
group of collaborators.  In addition, we should keep in mind 
the presence of radical Islamist terrorist organizations in 
Iraq. . For the foreseeable future, Iraq will continue to be 
a source of bad news.  The conflict might even spread to the 
north of Iraq, a possibility that should concern Turkey.  In 
sum, the fire in the Middle East is now beginning to 
spread." 
 
 
"A Project without Buyers" 
Haluk Ulman wrote in the economic-political Dunya (5/21): 
"The Iraq quagmire is the result of the US administration's 
wrong policies, which resulted from poor advice provided by 
Washington's  neo-conservatives.  The case of Ahmad Chalabi 
is a typical example.  Chalabi was favored by the neo-cons 
and their staffers despite his dubiuous record, which 
includes a conviction for bank fraud. . It will be 
interesting to see what the pro-Iraq war groups in Turkey 
will have to say at this point.  Interestingly enough, 
however, these same circles are now pushing to support the 
next US project -- the Greater Middle East Initiative.  This 
project does not even provide a clear vision about its 
objectives, and those who try to tailor a role for Turkey 
should think twice.  No matter how laudable the goals may 
be, the project has absolutely no chance for success, 
especially after the post-war problems and the Abu Ghraib 
scandal.  Nobody in the Arab world thinks the Bush 
administration's intentions are transparent. . It is certain 
that President Bush will do his best to `sell' this project 
to the Europeans, but there don't seem to be any buyers in 
the market." 
 
 
"The US is in Trouble in Iraq" 
Omer Ozturkmen observed in the conservative Turkiye (5/21): 
"The fact is, US diplomacy was mistaken in planning for the 
post-war scenario in Iraq.  The US could never imagine the 
kinds of problems they were going to face there.   The Iraqi 
people were expecting to watch Saddam's trial on TV while 
the president of the US focused on his re-election bid. 
Now, the torture photos from Iraq have recalled for the 
American people the long forgotten atrocities faced by 
American Indians.  Let us see how the president will explain 
the loss of American lives in Iraq during his campaign. 
When put next to the torture the Iraqi people have suffered 
at the hands of the coalition, Saddam's Halapja massacre 
looks mild by comparison.  Those obscene photos are already 
being circulated among international terrorist groups to 
recruit fighters against the United States.  The Bush 
Administration, which at one time put sacks over the heads 
of allied troops, now buries its own head to hide its shame. 
The US is paying the price for excluding Turkey in its 
policies in Eurasia.  It looks that that price will continue 
to be paid." 
 
 
EDELMAN