US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2913

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 002913 
 
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, 
TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Chalabi at odds with US Administration - Turkiye 
US insists those killed in Iraqi wedding were not `innocent' 
- Milliyet 
Shocking US statement: Bad guys party, too - Sabah 
Iran warns US against operations in `holy sites' - Sabah 
US, UK submit new Iraq resolution to UN - Milliyet 
Chris Patten: Turkey is European - Milliyet 
FM Gul urges TRT to begin Kurdish broadcasts - Sabah 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ahmad Chalabi: US occupation of Iraq `a fiasco' - Yeni Safak 
Russia, Germany, France oppose UN resolution on Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Gen. Zinni: Iraq a wrong war with a wrong strategy - Radikal 
Gen. Zinni: Neo-cons responsible for failure in Iraq - Yeni 
Safak 
Western NGOs: 10,000 civilians killed in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Iraqi provincial morgue reports show 5,000 Iraqis killed - 
Zaman 
Iraq wedding footage contradicts US claims - Cumhuriyet 
Patten supports Turkey in EU, criticizes Ataturk - Zaman 
`TRNC' to launch diplomatic attack for ending isolation - 
Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
US wants Turkish bases:  MFA has confirmed that the US wants 
to deploy warplanes in Konya province under the pretext of 
using them for `training exercises,' "Cumhuriyet" reports. 
The MFA noted that the US-proposed MOU on training exercises 
would give extensive authority to US troops.  A Ministry 
official added that the MOU cannot be accepted in its 
current form.  The MOU would have allowed deployment of US 
troops in Turkey without a parliamentary decision, and it is 
still being discussed by the US Administration and the AK 
Party government.  Negotiations on the issue will continue 
until the June NATO Summit in Istanbul, according to 
"Cumhuriyet." 
 
 
Israel-Palestine:  The Turkish-Palestinian parliamentary 
friendship group reported after returning from Palestine 
that they have witnessed Israeli brutality and destruction 
in the region.  Palestinians face coercion and torture every 
day, and Israeli soldiers destroy homes and kill children, 
the lawmakers said.  The Turkish parliament will discuss 
Israel's operations against Palestinians and the recent 
situation in Iraq in a general session on Tuesday. 
 
 
Government speeds up work for broadcast in Kurdish:  FM Gul 
said his government  has adopted measures to ensure that 
broadcast in languages other than Turkish will begin soon. 
`We will implement the constitutional changes quickly, and 
change the penal code in July,' Gul stressed.  `New 
regulations are also needed to make it easier for non- 
Muslims to open houses of worship, and to protect 
minorities' property rights,' he emphasized.  Gul added that 
the reopening of Halki Seminary will be discussed 
separately.  Gul asserted that Ankara did not want to leave 
room for EU excuses regarding the adoption of EU criteria. 
Meanwhile, "Milliyet" reports that the Council of Europe 
Parliamentary Assembly has assigned British lawmaker Russell 
Johnson as the rapporteur for investigating the status of 
Kurdish cultural rights.  Johnson is expected to visit 
Diyarbakir, Mardin, Van and Hakkari provinces from June 7- 
12. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq/US Homeland Security 
"What Will Bush Have to Say?" 
Yilmaz Oztuna editorialized in the conservative Turkiye 
(5/25): "This article was penned before President Bush's 
television speech on Iraq, but I am pretty sure about what 
he will have to say.  He will apologize for the torture 
scandal and assure us that these `individual cases' will be 
punished.   He will probably add some arguments to justify 
the Iraq war, focusing on the was against terrorism.  He 
will not mention either the protection of oil reserves or 
Israeli interests. . President Bush will also mention the 
transfer of authority to Iraqis.  However, the design for 
the new Iraqi administration is already doomed to failure. 
The new administration, according to what the US has in 
mind, will be in charge of governing the country except on 
military matters and oil-related issues.  With such a design 
for the future of Iraq, Washington seems to be creating even 
more trouble for Iraq and the region." 
 
 
"Good Bye America" 
Mustafa Mutlu commented in the mass appeal Vatan (5/25): 
"The US Department of Homeland Security is working on a 
system to monitor foreign visitors prior to their arrival to 
America.  The database for this system will cost as much as 
15 million dollars.  This means that by making your visa 
application, you will be agreeing to a clear violation of 
your privacy.  There is only one reason for such a policy -- 
fear.  The US administration thinks this is the way to 
prevent terrorist attacks.  What about being considered as a 
potential terrorist just because you want to be a tourist in 
the United States?  Isn't this humiliating enough?  The Bush 
administration has pursued a misguided foreign policy that 
has increased the number of US enemies around the world. 
The new Homeland Security policy will only serve to turn 
more US friends into enemies. . The US is on the verge of a 
transformation: it will either be a land for free tourism or 
turn into a kind of iron curtain country." 
 
 
"Towards The Doom Day" 
Haluk Ulman opined in the economic-political Dunya (5/25): 
"The world is now witnessing an unprecedented level of 
violence because of President Bush and his middle- east 
twin, Ariel Sharon.  Ignoring international law in Iraq and 
Palestine, they are acting on their own to create more 
bloodshed and tears.The level of international ignorance 
about these inhuman policies and for the lies to cover them 
up is astounding.  People who characterize Iraqi and 
Palestinian suicide attacks as `terrorism' believe that 
their policies are legal and are trying to make the world 
believe this as well.  However, the acts of these countries 
are terrorism as well.  PM Erdogan has clearly described 
thee policies as `state terrorism.'   Not only Iraqis and 
Palestinians, but the whole Arab world believes that the US 
and Israel are terrorist states, and that their terrorist 
actions are directed against the Islamic world.  The Arab 
world has every right not to hold this belief for as long as 
Bush and Sharon remain in power.  People who dream about 
peace in the Middle East and prepare plans to achieve peace 
should stop kidding themselves.  Because of these two 
terrorists, the Middle East, is being dragged to its doom at 
alarming speed." 
 
 
EDELMAN