US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2894

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002894 
 
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, 
MONDAY, MAY 24, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US, UK want immunity for torturers - Aksam 
Newsweek: US Attorney General permits torture - Milliyet 
5/23 
US troops kill 66 in El-Sadr militia - Sabah 
Chalabi demands compensation from US - Aksam 
Barzani, Talabani want Kurdish PM in new Iraq - Sabah 5/23 
US to take home 500 tons of Iraqi uranium - Aksam 5/23 
For US, Denktas is `former' leader of Turkish Cypriots- 
Milliyet 
Israeli minister: We are no different from Nazis - Hurriyet 
Israeli Defense Min: Sorry, destruction will continue - 
Hurriyet 
Vorking: World Bank ready to aid `TRNC' - Turkiye 
Former IMF boss becomes Germany's president - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Gen. Sanchez involved in torture - Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Sanchez a torturer too - Yeni Safak 
Wash. Post: US soldiers apply torture `for fun' - Cumhuriyet 
5/23 
US Attorney General `advises' torture - Zaman 5/23 
US, UK want to block prosecution of war crimes - Cumhuriyet 
US, UK shield torturers - Radikal 
Weston: US support for Turkish Cypriots won't be symbolic - 
Cumhuriyet 
Israeli minister likens Rafah destruction to Nazi action - 
Zaman 
Israeli snipers hunt Palestinian children - Zaman 5/23 
Palestinian Ambassador wants Turkish peacekeepers in 
Palestine - Yeni Safak 
Turkey's Kurds await implementation of EU reforms - Radikal 
NGOs rally in Istanbul against NATO Summit - Radikal 5/23 
TOBB warns of possible crisis in Turkey's economy - 
Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
US wants to use Turkey as a `logistical base':  "Cumhuriyet" 
claims that the US proposed to Turkey the signing of an MOU 
that would allow increased US military training exercises in 
Turkey.  The paper alleges that the US proposed the MOU as a 
means to by-pass the necessary approval for such an 
agreement by the Turkish parliament.  According to the 
article, Turkish support for US military activities in 
Turkey would continue to be shaped within the framework of 
existing agreements between Turkey, the US and NATO.  The US 
will deploy 48 warplanes at Incirlik and Konya airbases, 
according to the MOU.  US military personnel would be 
necessary for maintenance and care of these aircraft, but 
their presence is not included in the MOU,  "Cumhuriyet" 
reports.  The paper further claims that the US wants to 
establish naval bases at the Black Sea ports of Samsun and 
Trabzon.  The US wants a response from Turkey on these 
requests before President Bush arrives for his visit in 
June, the paper claims.  The Turkish General Staff (TGS) 
believes that Turkish support for the US requests will be 
decided by Turkey's political leadership and would also 
require parliamentary approval.  The duration and limits of 
the US requests from Turkey are ambiguous, and the TGS 
believes that such points require clarification.  The AK 
Party government would not want to lose US support, 
"Cumhuriyet" claims, and therefore wants to keep the issue 
away from public scrutiny.  The paper claims, however, that 
the government is inclined to accept the US requests. 
 
 
TGS warns against AFOSI activities:  The Turkish General 
Staff (TGS) has warned the ministry of interior against 
alleged intelligence activities being carried out in Giresun 
province by US Air Force Special Investigations Office 
(AFOSI) personnel from Incirlik Air Base, "Zaman" reports. 
The Ministry of Interior has warned provincial 
administrations to prevent such activities by not meeting 
with AFOSI officials without prior approval from the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Interior Ministry has also 
ordered provincial officials not to allow US personnel to 
carry weapons outside their military facilities. 
 
 
Cyprus:  US Ambassador to Cyprus Michael Klosson paid a 
visit to `TRNC PM' Mehmet Ali Talat in the Turkish part of 
Nicosia, weekend papers report.  Klosson said the US has 
been working on a package of measures to help end the 
international isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.  He also 
said the US is working to upgrade its office in northern 
Cyprus.  Papers also report US Special Cyprus Coordinator 
Tom Weston's description of Talat as the leader of the 
Turkish Cypriots.  Weston reportedly referred to Rauf 
Denktas as the `former' leader.  Sunday's "Milliyet" notes 
that US Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta will visit 
Turkey to discuss security measures at Turkish airports and 
along the Bosphorus in advance of the NATO Summit in June. 
Turkey's Transportation Minister Yildirim is expected to ask 
Mineta to begin direct US flights from Washington to 
northern Cyprus.  Meanwhile, FM Gul said over the weekend 
that Ankara opposed the idea of holding early elections in 
northern Cyprus. 
 
 
Israel-Palestine:  "Cumhuriyet" interprets recent strong 
statements by Turkish PM Erdogan and FM Gul criticizing 
Israeli military operations in Gaza as an indication of 
growing tension between Turkey and Israel.  Intensified 
Israeli violence has forced Ankara to increase its support 
to Palestine, "Cumhuriyet" claims.  Parliamentary Speaker 
Bulent Arinc condemned the Israeli attacks in the Rafah 
refugee camp as `acts of brutality.'  Arinc also argued that 
the US shares responsibility for the bloodshed in Palestine. 
The Turkish parliament will discuss Israel's operations 
against Palestinians in a general session on Tuesday. 
Meanwhile, Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Joseph 
Paritzki will visit Ankara unofficially on Tuesday for the 
signing of cooperation agreements between Turkish and 
Israeli companies, "Cumhuriyet" reports. 
 
 
Putin due in Turkey; PM Erdogan to visit Iran:  Russian 
President Vladimir Putin will be in Turkey for the NATO 
Summit in Istanbul June 28-29 and then proceed to Ankara 
June 30 for the first official visit by a Russian President 
since the collapse of the Soviet Union.  The sides will 
discuss bilateral relations, Iraq, and Cyprus.  Meanwhile, 
FM Gul reportedly told that Iranian News Agency IRNA over 
the weekend that PM Erdogan would soon pay an official visit 
to Iran within the context of an effort to enhance ties with 
Islamic countries.  Iranian President Khatami will also 
visit Turkey as the official guest of Turkish President 
Sezer, Gul noted. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq; India 
 
 
"The Chaos in Iraq Might Spread to Turkey" 
Cuneyt Ulsever wrote in the mass appeal Hurriyet (5/24): 
"Campaigning for a complete withdrawal of US forces from the 
region is the right instinct, but is essentially an 
emotional reaction.  We need to recognize what would happen 
after the US withdrawal -- namely, a disaster for Turkey.  A 
more reasonable approach to the issue requires a number of 
elements.  First, the US should admit the fact that it 
cannot possibly rule this region alone.  The US should be 
willing to share control of the oil with Russia, China, 
France and Germany.  Overall control of the region should be 
transferred to the United Nations.  If that happens, Turkey 
and the United Kingdom will be able to share and implement 
their experiences in the fight against terrorism.  Under 
such circumstances, the US will be able to focus on 
controlling the oil regions.  As for Turkey, we should be 
prepared for a federal Kurdish state.  If these elements are 
ignored, the chaos in Iraq might turn into a nightmare for 
the whole region, including for Turkey." 
 
 
"Why Chalabi?" 
Asli Aydintasbas filed this from Washington in the mass 
appeal Sabah (5/24): "The Bush administration has managed to 
come up with an excuse for all of its failings in Iraq.  The 
current treatment of Ahmad Chalabi and the strong campaign 
against him looks like the treatment of the enemies of 
communism during the Stalin era.  The Republicans seem happy 
for having found a scapegoat, and Chalabi is now being 
charged with every possible sin. . If you read the pro- 
government press, Ahmad Chalabi is the worst man in the 
Middle East.  Yet a high level Pentagon official describes 
Chalabi as `a genuine democrat and friend of America.' 
Whatever the truth is, it is rather sad to see the US effort 
to bring democracy to Iraq has come to a point where its 
opponents are silenced by force.  Washington has turned into 
a beast eating its own children.  The democrats in Iraq are 
the first victims." 
 
 
"Sacrifice or Lack of Experience" 
Zafer Atay commented in the economic-political Dunya (5/24): 
"Despite the election victory of India's Congress Party, 
Sonja Gandhi announced at the last minute her decision not 
to stand for the position of  Prime Minister.  Before the 
elections, no one guessed that Vajpayee would lose.  His 
party was leading in every opinion poll.  Some believe that 
Sonja Gandhi has sacrificed her political ambitions in an 
effort to avoid chaos in the country.  Others believe that 
Mrs. Gandhi is just an amateur politician.  Although she 
lived in the most important political family in India for 
years, Mrs. Gandhi apparently learned very little from them. 
She has neither her husband's charisma nor her mother-in- 
law's determination.  In fact, there are allegations that 
her newly elected deputy son Rahul and future Congress Party 
future leader Priyanka, Mrs. Gandhi's daughter, pressured 
their mother to withdraw based on concerns for her physical 
security.  Although India is the world's largest democracy, 
political intrigue continues to hamper the democratic 
process.  Meanwhile, the prediction Nostradamus made 
centuries ago has not been realized: the possibility that an 
Italian would someday rule India has disappeared, at least 
for the moment." 
 
 
EDELMAN