US embassy cable - 04ANKARA3201

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 003201 
 
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, 
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEALS 
Turkey at the table of giants - Hurriyet 
Turks abducted in Iraq for `serving Americans' - Sabah 
Turkish-Israeli crisis growing - Milliyet 
UN decides to end Iraq occupation by January 2006 - Milliyet 
US Attorney General's report: Torture may be legitimate - 
Aksam 
DEP lawmakers appeal for release - Hurriyet 
Spain, Belgium, Italy launch joint Al-Qaeda operation - 
Aksam 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
G-8 gives Turkey leading role for regional reforms - Zaman 
Al-Qaeda crackdown in Europe - Radikal 
Qaeda hunt in Europe - Cumhuriyet 
NATO Summit detentions in Istanbul - Cumhuriyet 
UNSC denies autonomy for Iraqi Kurds - Zaman 
Turks become new target of Iraq resistance - Cumhuriyet 
OIC Istanbul summit to discuss Cyprus, Iraq, Palestine - 
Yeni Safak 
Heavy toll in Iraq: 15 killed - Yeni Safak 
Resisters intensify attacks in Iraq - Radikal 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
PM Erdogan to G-8 Summit:  Before setting off to attend the 
G-8 Summit in Sea Island, Georgia, PM Erdogan said on 
Tuesday that reform efforts in the Middle East are doomed to 
fail if they are imposed from the outside and if the Arab- 
Israeli conflict and the Iraq problem are not resolved.  On 
Wednesday, Erdogan will join the G-8 discussions on the 
Greater Middle East initiative as a `democratic partner.' 
President Bush is planning to make Turkey the co-chair of 
the `democratic assistance dialogue group' within the 
framework of the Broader Middle East and North Africa 
Initiative, "Hurriyet" reports.  The G-8 will give Turkey a 
pioneering role in the regional reform process,  "Zaman" 
comments. 
 
 
Ankara summons diplomats from Israel:  Turkey has summoned 
its ambassador from Tel Aviv and consul general from 
Jerusalem to Ankara for consultations with regard to recent 
developments in the Middle East.  The Israeli press regards 
the move as a protest over Israel's Palestine policy. 
However, diplomatic sources from both countries deny press 
reports about a deterioration of relations between the two 
countries.  The MFA said the diplomats are returning to 
Ankara for `routine discussions.'  "Cumhuriyet" regards the 
move as Ankara's message to Arab countries that Turkey will 
pursue balanced policies in the Middle East.  Israeli 
Ambassador to Ankara, Pinhas Avivi, acknowledged some 
`minor' problems, but voiced no doubt about the friendship 
between the two countries. 
 
 
Turks kidnapped in Iraq:  Iraqi insurgents abducted seven 
more Turks for `serving the US in Iraq,' papers report.  The 
Iraqi hostage-takers threatened to kill the Turks unless 
Ankara denounces the occupation of Iraq.  Analysts told 
"Cumhuriyet" that Turks in Iraq were kidnapped following 
some recent Turkish government statements in support of the 
US Greater Middle East initiative.  A civil war is looming 
in Iraq, and Western businessmen are leaving the country, 
according to "Cumhuriyet." 
Increased security for NATO Summit:  Police detained 25 
journalists from pro-Kurdish media on Tuesday, as Turkey 
stepped up security for the Istanbul NATO summit in late 
June, which will be attended by President Bush and other 
world leaders.  Police raided the Istanbul offices of the 
pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency and "Ozgur Halk" magazine, 
seizing computers and other records on the grounds that the 
media groups belong to an illegal organization.  Police also 
raided an undisclosed number of other media outlets, 
associations and private homes. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  G-8 at Sea Island 
 
 
"Is Turkey the Trojan Horse?" 
Semih Idiz commented in the mass appeal Aksam (6/9):  "It is 
obvious that the general opinion in the Arab world for the 
Greater Middle East Project first, and then for the Broader 
Great Middle East and Northern Africa Region Project, is 
rather negative.  People who follow the Arab press, are well 
aware of this opinion.  Washington's efforts to include 
Turkey to this initiative as the `Democratic Partner', 
caused Arab world to consider Turkey as the `Trojan 
Horse'(During 2002 Copenhagen summit, US' support for 
Turkey's EU entrance, had made the EU to believe that the US 
was pushing the Trojan Horse through the gates of Europe!). 
In another way, Arab officials who don't trust Turkey fully 
because of its close relations with Israel, now, consider 
Turkey as the US' tool in the region.  In short, it should 
be discussed, how much Turkey benefits from the US 
presentation of it as the `Strategic Partner' to the EU and 
the `Democratic Partner' to the Arab world.  But, it should 
always be remembered that Turkey has a strategic importance 
for the west.  And with its parliamentary democracy, Turkey 
is the model for the region.  Therefore, whoever calls 
Turkey as the US' Trojan Horse, they either try to keep 
Turkey itself, or the political paradigm it represents, in a 
certain distance." 
 
 
EDELMAN