US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2977

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002977 
 
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 27, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Erdogan invited to G-8 as `Democratic partner' - Sabah 
Erdogan to attend `Summit of the Giants' - Hurriyet 
Paritzky: Erdogan right to criticize Israeli operations - 
Sabah 
Turkey pressures Israel - Turkiye 
130 killed in Iraq - Turkiye 
Zarkawi's head worth $25 million - Aksam 
Amnesty report accuses US -Aksam 
US expects another terror attack before 9/11/04 - Milliyet 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Bush invites Erdogan to G-8 - Radikal 
Powell: US won't leave command of Iraqi forces - Radikal 
US, UK disagree over command of coalition forces - 
Cumhuriyet 
Turkish-Israeli tension growing - Birgun 
Anti-Saddam scientist new PM for Iraq - Zaman 
Shiite PM for Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Amnesty Int.: US has made world a more dangerous place - 
Zaman 
Gallup: 69 percent of Iraqis find cooperation with US 
dangerous - Yeni Safak 
Al Gore: Worse days await US in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Turkey may withdraw ambassador to Israel - Yeni Safak 
Washington expects a new 9/11 - Birgun 
TRT pushes button for Kurdish broadcasts - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
PM Erdogan to attend June G-8 Summit:  PM Erdogan has been 
invited by President Bush to the G-8 Summit in Sea Island, 
Georgia as a `democratic partner.'  Erdogan will address the 
summit as the leader of a democratic secular Muslim country 
- a model for the Islamic world.  Some Arab leaders had also 
been invited to the summit, but they declined the invitation 
in reaction to recent events in Iraq and Palestine. 
 
 
Ankara may upgrade representation in Palestine:  FM Abdullah 
Gul said that Turkey might follow some European countries by 
sending a diplomat of ambassadorial rank to head the Turkish 
Consulate in Jerusalem.  Turkish Consul-General Huseyin Avni 
Bicakci's term will end soon, and he may be replaced by an 
ambassador in September 2004.  Gul also signaled that 
Turkey's ambassador to Israel might be summoned to Ankara 
for consultations.  Such moves would force Israel to review 
bilateral relations with Turkey, Israeli diplomatic sources 
told "Radikal."  They added that the Jewish lobby in the US 
could withdraw support for Turkey.  Ankara may respond by 
reviewing defense contracts with Israel, and by closing 
Turkish airspace to Israeli warplanes for training 
exercises, dailies report. 
 
 
Israel's Paritzky on Palestine, Syria:  PM Erdogan has 
renewed offers to mediate between Israel and both the 
Palestinians and Syria, Israeli Infrastructure Minister 
Josef Paritzky said on Tuesday.  Speaking after his meeting 
with Erdogan in Ankara, Paritzky said the Turkish leader had 
been forthright in his criticism of Israel's assassination 
of two Hamas leaders and the recent raid on the Rafah 
refugee camp in Gaza.  Paritzky said Erdogan had also 
conveyed the message that Syria's President Bashar Assad 
wants peace with Israel.  The Israeli minister said Syria 
would have to do more to show it was serious about peace 
before Israel was convinced to restart talks.  "If President 
Assad is willing to go into a long, hard process to 
negotiate for peace, he will find the Israelis to be willing 
partners," Paritzky said. 
 
 
TRT agrees to broadcasts in Kurdish:  The executive board of 
TRT, Turkey's state broadcaster, has decided to give a green 
light to broadcasts in languages other than Turkish.  TRT is 
facing heavy pressure from the MFA to allow Kurdish language 
broadcasts to begin.  TRT General Director Senol Demiroz 
said that there is `no legal obstacle' to prevent broadcasts 
in Kurdish, and added that Kurdish broadcasts would begin 
soon. 
 
 
Ongoing trouble in implementation of EU laws:  The 
implementation of an EU-backed reform granting religious 
minorities freedom of worship is being held up by 
bureaucratic obstacles, "Radikal" reports.  A Presbyterian 
congregation in Ankara has applied to the Governor's office 
to open a house of worship, but official permission was 
denied.  The problem was resolved only through the personal 
intervention of the Interior Minister.  The EU assessment of 
serious bureaucratic obstacles with regard to the 
implementation of EU reforms is true, "Radikal" claims, 
stressing the need for Turkey to pass a separate law banning 
religious discrimination. 
 
 
Unrest growing in SE Turkey:  Peace in Turkey's Southeast is 
under threat, the Turkish daily "Birgun" reports.  The paper 
points to 29 killings that occurred in the southeast over 
the last two months.  Imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan 
had criticized the AK Party government for carrying out 
military operations in southeast Turkey without taking any 
step forward to solve the Kurdish problem.  Ocalan had told 
the government that a war would begin unless something is 
done.  The Tunceli Bar Association has warned against armed 
conflict, saying it would bring new pain for the people of 
the region people and damage all democratic steps taken 
forward on Turkey's path to the EU. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq/President's TV Speech 
 
 
"US Intentions" 
Hikmet Cetinkaya argued in the social democrat-opinion maker 
Cumhuriyet (5/27): "There are two important summits coming 
up, and it is no coincidence that the G-8 and NATO summits 
are scheduled for the same month.  This has to do with US 
intentions for the future of Iraq and the region.  Both the 
US and UK want to present Turkey as a model for the Greater 
Middle East project.  The role being designed for Turkey in 
that context is that of a `moderate Islamic' country.  The 
US and UK are ready to ignore Turkey's secular democratic 
system, because a moderate Islamic model works better for 
their interests in this region." 
 
 
"Bush's Remarks are Still Threatening" 
Fuat Bol wrote in the conservative Turkiye (5/27): 
"President Bush made his eagerly awaited speech, yet he 
continues to mix threatening remarks with the facts.  The 
President underlined that the fight against terrorism is not 
a war of choice for the US, but one that was foist upon the 
US.  He reiterated that it is time to take action, not to 
talk. . The purpose of his remarks is to convince the 
international public about the need for the ongoing war on 
terrorism and to call on friends and allies to side with the 
US.  However, the truth is that every backward or cruel 
regime in the Middle East, including the Taliban and Saddam, 
used to enjoy US support.  Their tyranny was made possible 
by military and political support from Washington. . The 
current situation does not give us hope for a better future. 
After the US occupation, Iraq is living in pain and agony. 
Moreover, the misguided US policies in Iraq have helped to 
fuel more hatred and vengeance that will increase threats to 
the future of Iraq and the wider region.  None of this is 
going to bring peace and democracy to the region." 
EDELMAN