US embassy cable - 04ANKARA3632

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 003632 
 
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, 
SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
HEADLINES 
 
Bush to EU leaders: Turkey must be in the EU - Radikal 
Istanbul a `closed' city - Radikal 
NATO agrees to train Iraqi forces - Radikal 
Tough US-Turkey bargaining in Ankara - Yeni Safak 
The World turns to Istanbul - Yeni Safak 
Tens of thousands protest Bush in Dublin - Yeni Safak 
Senator Lugar voices US requests - Yeni Safak 
Bush's message to EU: Start negotiations with Turkey - 
Hurriyet 
Bush Supports Turkey's EU membership - Sabah 
Bush to EU: Negotiation Process with Turkey Should Start - 
Milliyet 
NATO Summit Agony for People of Istanbul - DB Tercuman 
Istanbul is captive of NATO summit - Takvim 
Take Turkey into the Union, Bush says in Ireland - Vatan 
`Closed for NATO' - Posta 
Eisenhower Won Hearts, Bush Had the Roads Closed -- Referans 
 
 
BRIEFING: 
 
The Latest News From Anatolian News Agency: 
 
3 Turks Kidnapped in Iraq:  Militants loyal to Ebu Musab El 
Zarkavi, who kidnapped 3 Turkish workers in Iraq on 
Saturday, have called for mass demonstrations against US 
President George W. Bush to condemn the President's visit to 
Turkey.  The militants, in a written statement to Al-Jazeera 
Television, said that if Turkish firms do not withdraw from 
Iraq within 72 hours, the hostages will risk being beheaded. 
They called on "the Muslim Turkish people to carry out mass 
demonstrations against Bush's visit to Turkey" and for 
"Turkish firms to stop doing business with US forces in 
Iraq."  In a video tape shown on Al-Jazeera, 3 men holding 
their passports are seated in front of their 2 masked 
captors.  It is not clear from the video when the men were 
kidnapped or where they were working.  Turkish officials in 
Baghdad believe the men were kidnapped 2 days ago. 
 
US President Bush Arrives in Ankara:  US President George 
Bush has arrived in Ankara for official contacts in advance 
of the June 28-29 NATO Summit to be held in Istanbul. 
President Bush and his wife Laura, who arrived at Esenboga 
Airport following the US-EU Summit in Irerland, were met by 
State Minister Besir Atalay and his wife, Yildiz Atalay. 
The President was also welcomed by Turkey's Ambassador to 
Washington Faruk Logoglu, US Ambassador Eric Edelman, and 
Ankara Governor Yahya Gur.  US Secretary of State Colin 
Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice will 
accompany the President during his meetings in Ankara.  The 
US delegation, which arrived on three separate planes, is 
made up of around 600 people.  President Bush and his wife 
waved to the press as they descended the stairs from the 
airplane, and a bouquet of flowers was given to Mrs. Bush. 
President Bush did not make a statement at the airport 
before boarding his armored limousine and leaving the 
tarmac.  Press interest in President Bush's visit to Ankara 
is high.  Journalists arrived at the airport hours in 
advance of the arrival to undergo thorough security 
screening.  While bomb-sniffing dogs inspected the cameras 
and equipment of press members, some journalists applauded 
in protest against the implementation of such security 
measures. 
 
Bush will begin his official contacts tomorrow when he meets 
with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Prime 
Minister's residence.  Secretary Powell and Foreign Minister 
Gul are expected to participate in the meeting.  Mrs. Bush, 
meanwhile, will have a separate meeting with the spouses of 
PM Erdogan and FM Gul.  Bush, who will then visit Anit 
Kabir, will later meet with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. 
He will then participate in a working lunch at Cankaya 
Palace.  Bush and his delegation will depart for Istanbul 
following the lunch. 
 
During Bush's visit to Ankara, it is expected that in 
addition to bilateral relations, subjects such as Iraq, the 
presence of a terrorist organization in northern Iraq, 
Cyprus, Turkey's EU membership drive, US Global Force 
Posture, the NATO Summit, the Middle East, and Afghanistan 
will be discussed.  One of the most important items on the 
agenda will be the presence of the terrorist organization in 
northern Iraq.  Turkey will once again remind the US of its 
expectations that the organization will be eliminated in 
Iraq, and will express its desire that concrete steps be 
taken on this issue.  A greater consistency between words 
and deeds on this issue will be requested by the Turkish 
side.  Turkey, which is expecting a gesture on the Cyprus 
issue, will ask that the US bring greater clarity to its 
commitment to support the "Turkish Republic of Northern 
Cyprus" in the aftermath of the April 24 referendum.  In 
discussion about Turkey-EU relations, it is expected that 
President Bush will report on his contacts with EU officials 
in Ireland and renew US support for Turkey's EU process. 
The Turkish side, in discussions on Iraq, is expected to 
emphasize its sensitivities concerning Kirkuk and urge 
greater representation for Turkmen in the new Iraqi 
administration. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
POTUS Visit & NATO Summit 
 
"Flowers and Bombs" 
Erdal Safak commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (5/27): 
"Clinton came to Ankara prior to the OSCE summit in Istanbul 
just like President Bush has done today: Bush arrived in 
Ankara in advance of the NATO summit in Istanbul.  Yet there 
is one big difference that must be mentioned.  Clinton was 
welcomed by flowers and a feeling of joy.  Today, five years 
later, Bush comes under a cloud of bombs and protests.  Five 
years ago, 75 percent of Turks held favorable views of the 
US.  Today, anti-US feelings have reached 80 percent.  This 
is the case not only for Turkey, but for the whole world. 
... The NATO summit agenda includes many hot topics, which 
range from terror and chaos in Iraq to the deteriorating 
situation in Afghanistan.  Additional agenda items include 
the fight against international terrorism and the deepening 
split between the US and Europe.  NATO is also going to 
discuss the Middle East and try to find ways to promote 
democracy in the Greater Middle East region to eliminate the 
quagmire that constantly produces more terrorism.  It 
remains to be seen whether NATO will succeed in creating a 
consensus to extinguish some of the ongoing fires. 
Otherwise, the Istanbul summit may remembered as the funeral 
for the Atlantic Alliance. " 
 
"Bush Fooled Ankara" 
Sedat Ergin noted in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (5/27): "One 
of the reasons that the US President declared war against 
Iraq was to end the possibility that Iraq would become a 
base for terrorism.  The PKK was considered as one of the 
terrorist organizations there, and Washington listed it as a 
terrorist organization on its annual list.  The reports from 
Washington also acknowledged that northern Iraq is the PKK's 
main base.  President Bush and other administration 
officials repeatedly assured Turkey that they understood 
Ankara's sensitivity regarding northern Iraq and pledged 
that the area would not be a haven for terrorists. ... 
Regarding words and deeds on this issue, the most 
significant step was a meeting in Ankara on September 12, 
2003 between a Turkish delegation and US officials from the 
Pentagon, CIA and State Department.  At that point, the US 
asked to deal with Mahmur camp first, and Turkey accepted 
this proposal with good intentions.  However, US officials 
left the country without even signing an MOU.  ... Four 
months ago, the State Department promised a letter from 
Secretary Powell to reiterate the US commitment about 
 
SIPDIS 
eliminating the PKK threat.  As you read this column today, 
such a letter has never arrived. ... The gist of the problem 
is the US unwillingness to have a conflict with PKK, and the 
shift in US priorities due to broader security problems in 
Iraq. ... President Bush, in an interview prior to his trip 
to Ankara, made it clear that the PKK issue will be dealt in 
cooperation with both the Turkish and Iraqi governments. 
This is not a normal statement -- it is almost a kind of 
confession.  It looks as if Bush is telling us that `the 
ball is not in our court any more -- it is in the hands of 
the interim Iraqi government.'  It is now a serious question 
how sincere President Bush will be during his talks in 
Ankara after making such a negative impression on the 
terrorism threat faced by Turkey." 
 
"The World is a Whole, and Cannot be Separated" 
Nazif Gurdogan opined in the Islamist-opinion maker "Yeni 
Safak" (6/27):  "The security of Europe and the US depends 
on the security of the Islamic world.  As long as the 
bloodshed continues in East Turkistan, Khasmir, Chechnia, 
Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine, it is not possible for 
Europe and the US to live in peace.  No country can remain 
within its own borders without being affected by the wars of 
the world.  The world has turned into a single country with 
multiple cultures.  It looks as if the world will claim the 
inheritance of the Ottoman Empire by having people of 
different religions, colors and creeds live together in 
peace.  No country in the world can close its doors to 
people from different races and religions.  Borders have 
been lifted not only between  European countries, but 
between all countries in the world.  The countries that try 
to protect their borders with wiring, mines or troops will 
only create new wars.  The world is a whole --  east, west, 
north and south.  One part of it cannot be happy while the 
other part cries.  NATO must defend peace for the entire 
world, not only for the west.  There will be no peace 
without the Islamic world." 
 
"NATO to march to Iraq" 
Muharrem Sarikaya observed in the mass appeal "Sabah" 
(6/27):  "NATO Secretary General Scheffer recently said that 
NATO would not turn down a call by the new Iraqi government 
scheduled to take over authority in Iraq after June 30. . 
Non-NATO member countries will also be allowed to 
participate in the peacekeeping force in Iraq.  Some Muslim 
countries outside of NATO will also join the mission. .  The 
interim Iraqi authority will be replaced by an elected 
government before the end of this year. NATO will take 
action when called on to do so by a government elected by 
the Iraqi people -- not by a government formed by the US. 
Whatever the case, NATO will have to enter Iraq early next 
year.  This time it will be difficult for Turkey, which has 
served successfully in missions in Afghanistan and Bosnia- 
Herzegovina, to refrain from joining the peacekeeping force 
in Iraq." 
 
"Sezer to warn Bush on Loss of US Credibility" 
Murat Yetkin commented in the intellectual/opinion maker 
"Radikal" (6/27):  "President Sezer will urge President Bush 
to take new steps forward regarding the PKK and Cyprus in 
order to retain US credibility in Turkey. .  `We don't see 
any difference between Al-Qaeda terrorism and that of the 
PKK,' said a high-level Turkish source, adding that US 
officials are saying the same thing in their public 
statements.  `However, we are still waiting for the 
Americans to meet their pledges to remove the PKK presence 
in northern Iraq,' he stressed. .  He added that, despite 
some attempts to lift international sanctions against 
Turkish Cypriots, no concrete steps have yet been taken. . 
PM Erdogan will discuss with President Bush the need to 
maintain Iraq's territorial integrity, keep Kirkuk out of 
the Kurds' control, and guarantee an adequate representation 
of Turkmen in the new Iraqi administration. .  The Greater 
Middle East (GME) project has been made more mature by the 
inclusion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the 
initiative, and by accepting Turkey as a democratic, secular 
partner. .  Erdogan is aware that his criticism of the 
Israeli administration's policies in Palestine have had a 
negative effect on the Jewish community in the US.  Still, 
he will insist on a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian 
conflict at his meeting with Bush. .  The reopening of the 
Halki Seminary and Turkey's relations with Armenia are also 
expected to be raised at the meeting." 
EDELMAN