US embassy cable - 04ANKARA3802

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003802 
 
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, JULY 8, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
EU to inject Euro 259 million into the `TRNC' - Milliyet 
`Made in TRNC' products to EU markets - Sabah 
EU takes a concrete step for `TRNC' - Aksam 
Raid on Turkish mafia in New York - Hurriyet 
Israel concerned about rise in domestic violence - Aksam 
El-Al to restart flights to Turkey - Milliyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
EU's historic `opening' to the `TRNC' - Radikal 
Toward Emergency rule in Iraq - Zaman 
FBI crackdown on Turkish gang in New York - Cumhuriyet 
PM Erdogan meets Turkish minority in Sofia - Radikal 
Radical Jews threaten to kill Sharon - Cumhuriyet 
Israel complains to el-Baradei about Iran - Zaman 
Americans take 1.7 tons of uranium to US - Cumhuriyet 
US millionaires race for presidency - Referans 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
EU assists `TRNC':  The EU Commission on Wednesday passed a 
four-part assistance package for the `TRNC' in an effort to 
ease the isolation of northern Cyprus.  The package clears 
the path for the export of goods from `TRNC' ports to 
European countries, and authorizes the Turkish Cypriot 
Chamber of Commerce to issue export certificates for 
agricultural products.  The package also includes financial 
aid in the amount of 259 million Euro for the improvement of 
infrastructure, and lays out procedures for passage across 
the Green Line that separates the Greek Cypriot south from 
the Turkish Cypriot north.  `TRNC PM' Mehmet Ali Talat 
welcomed the moves, saying that the package is `similar to 
having a Customs Union agreement with the EU.'  Turkish PM 
Erdogan said the EU had undertaken measures that were long 
expected by Turkey. 
 
Iraq:  MFA Spokesman Namik Tan warned against attempts to 
change the demographic structure of Kirkuk and said that 
Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs should live there together in peace 
and security.  Tan stressed that various Iraqi groups, 
Iraq's neighbors, and the international community all have 
sensitivities with regard to the future of Kirkuk, a city of 
critical significance for regional stability and peace.  Tan 
also noted that Ankara and the Iraqi Administration have 
been working to set a date for a visit by Iraqi PM Allawi to 
Turkey.  Diplomatic sources said preparation for training of 
Iraqi army units by Turkey are continuing in line with the 
resolution adopted at the June NATO summit in Istanbul. 
 
Turkey/Iran:  The MFA Spokesman also noted that the Turkey- 
Iran joint security committee will be convened next week in 
Ankara to discuss security issues and measures taken by Iran 
against PKK/Kongra-Gel activities in the region.  PM Erdogan 
suspended a scheduled visit to Tehran last year due to the 
ineffectiveness of Iran in fighting the PKK.  "Sabah" 
reports that Erdogan will visit Iran July 28-29.  Meanwhile, 
the Iranian Interior Minister announced that 2 Iranian 
soldiers and 10 PKK militants had been killed in clashes in 
the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan.  The clashes 
reportedly took place 9 days ago.  Iranian officials also 
announced that they had arrested 22 persons for `anti- 
Turkish activities' and handed over all of the suspects to 
Turkey. 
FBI launches `Operation Ankara':  Police officers in New 
York raided a string of Turkish-owned gas stations and 
grocery stores that are alleged to have employed illegal 
workers been involved in money laundering.  200 federal, 
state, and local security personnel searched dozens of shops 
and gas stations run by Turks in New York.  Seven Turks were 
arrested and 57 were detained in the crackdown.  Police 
claim that money laundering activities carried out by the 
suspects amounted to more than 26 million dollars. 
 
Former DEP lawmakers to establish new party:  Former DEP 
lawmaker Leyla Zana and other recently released DEP deputies 
say they are working to establish a new party that would 
contribute to the `restructuring' of Turkey.  The Ex-MPs 
said the party to be founded this fall would work to ensure 
`domestic peace.'  Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and 
Selim Sadak have been banned from politics for their alleged 
ties with the outlawed PKK.  The political ban could be 
removed, however, if Zana and her colleagues are acquitted 
by the Court of Cassation (Yargitay).  The first hearing in 
the appeals process will take place today. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
a)   US Elections 
b)   Iraq-Israel-BMENAI 
 
"Toward the US Elections" 
Soli Ozel observed in the mass appeal Sabah (7/8): "With the 
announcement of Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards, 
the US has officially entered the election season.  The 
presidential elections will be the sole topic in US politics 
for the next four months.  Experts agree that foreign policy 
will be the leitmotif during the elections. ... Michael 
Moore's new movie is definitely an agenda item in the 
election process.  With the help of `Fahrenheit 9/11,' the 
American public finally started to learn some facts after 
being fed by the US media with one-sided information in the 
post-9/11 atmosphere. ... Jackie Stevens, a US political 
scientist, notes the lack of effective opposition from the 
Democrats, and argues that the election rivals this time are 
not Bush and Kerry, but rather Bush and `Fahrenheit 9/11.' 
... Public opinion polls indicate that around 10 percent of 
voters are undecided, and they will play the determinative 
role in the outcome of the election.  It remains to be seen 
whether Edwards give the Kerry campaign the boost it needs." 
 
"Anti-Semitic lies, anti-Kurdish feelings and the GME" 
Cengiz Candar wrote in the sensational DB Tercuman (7/8): 
"From the very beginning, I believed that Turkey's strategic 
relationship with Israel, particularly the military aspect, 
was a mistake.  The strategic military relationship with 
Israel puts Turkey in a position of supporting Israeli 
policy for the Middle East.  Such an image is incompatible 
with Turkey's historic identity and its strength. ... This 
approach, however, should not be interpreted as anti- 
Semitism.  The Seymour Hersh story in `The New Yorker,' for 
instance, contains categorical lies about Israeli 
intentions, including the claim that Israel aims to divide 
both Iraq and Turkey. ... Anti-Semitism has accelerated 
recently, as we started reading claims that the GME was in 
fact a `Greater Israeli Project,' and that the Kurds in Iraq 
would be used against Turkey. ... This complete nonsense 
does nothing but create enmity between Turkey and the Kurds 
deepen anti-Kurdish feelings.  Therefore, even routine and 
natural contact with Iraqi Kurdish leaders is presented in a 
suspicious context. ... Fortunately, common sense still 
prevails, at least according to the results of a recent 
opinion poll in Turkey.  People were asked whether they 
think there is a need for a democratic reform process in the 
Islamic world.  Just 16.5 percent responded `no,' while 
72.1 percent said `yes.'  When asked whether Turkey should 
take an active role in the GME project, 19.8 percent said 
`no,' and 59.2 said `yes.' ... Turkey deserves credit for 
not paying attention to conspiracy theories, racism, and 
moronic lies, and the public deserves credit for holding 
such sensible opinions." 
 
DEUTSCH