US embassy cable - 04ANKARA3828

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003828 
 
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, 
FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER 
THREE THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
TGS issues warning on Kurdish ex-MPs, PKK - Aksam 
Gen. Basbug: US has done nothing about the PKK - Milliyet 
Gen. Basbug: PKK is in Iraq, so we are - Hurriyet 
TGS: Kirkuk's demography must not be changed - Hurriyet 
Talabani: PKK is helpless - Aksam 
Rich Americans race for the presidency - Milliyet 
The Hague to rule on legitimacy of Israel's security fence - 
Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
TGS: US must do its part on the PKK - Zaman 
Iraqi uranium taken to US without UN authorization - 
Cumhuriyet 
US steals two tons of uranium in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
June the bloodiest month in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
Two Turkish truck drivers killed in Iraq - Radikal 
TGS: We'll stay in Iraq until the PKK is eliminated - 
Radikal 
Tom Ridge: Al-Qaeda preparing large-scale attack - Yeni 
Safak 
`TRNC': EU assistance package will force Greeks to 
compromise - Cumhuriyet 
Guantanamo captives to face military court - Radikal 
US military sets up commission for Guantanamo detainees - 
Zaman 
China wipes out Uighur Turks - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
TGS Deputy Chief on northern Iraq, Kurds:  Deputy Chief of 
Staff General Ilker Basbug told a monthly press briefing on 
Thursday that Turkish troops would not leave northern Iraq 
until the PKK presence is removed.  Basbug strongly 
criticized former DEP lawmakers, including Leyla Zana, for 
`daring' to suggest an extension to the cease-fire that had 
been recently annulled by the PKK.  Basbug lashed out at the 
government for allowing the Kurdish ex-MPs stage 
demonstrations in southeast Turkey.  Basbug warned against 
attempts to change the demographic structure of Kirkuk.  He 
suggested that such problems could be overcome by granting a 
special status to Kirkuk.  He also noted that all US 
military training flights in Turkey are fully coordinated 
with the Turkish military.  Basbug confirmed that the US has 
not put forward any military requests outside of the 
existing bilateral defense agreement (DECA), but has 
requested to modify current training methods to include 
night-time flying, in-air refueling, and low-altitude 
training. 
 
Cyprus:  Ankara called on the EU to do more to ease 
sanctions against the `TRNC,' particularly in the areas of 
transport and tourism.  Ankara expects similar steps from 
the US and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), 
"Cumhuriyet" reports.  The US is preparing for direct trade 
relations with the `TRNC,' but the initiative may be delayed 
due to the upcoming US presidential elections and opposition 
from the Greek lobby in Washington.  Ankara is also working 
to open the way for direct flights to northern Cyprus from 
third countries.  Meanwhile, the World Bank (WB) and the UN 
have prepared a financial and technical assistance package 
for the `TRNC' in an effort to support the economic reform 
process in northern Cyprus, "Aksam" reports.  The US is 
expected to contribute to the WB-UN assistance package. 
 
Israeli Deputy PM Olmert due in Ankara:  Israel's Deputy PM 
Ehud Olmert will visit Ankara next week to discuss with PM 
Erdogan Turkey's policy regarding Israel and Erdogan's 
critical comments about Israel's policy in the occupied 
territories.  Turkish papers cite the Israeli daily 
"Haaretz" as claiming that Olmert will urge Erdogan to 
muffle his criticisms of Israeli policies, openly support 
Israel's Gaza disengagement plan, and send FM Gul on an 
official visit to Israel in the near future. 
 
Talabani on the PKK, Kirkuk:  The northern Iraqi Patriotic 
Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani told CNN-Turk 
on Thursday that the order for the PKK to end its unilateral 
cease-fire had come from PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.  The 
PKK/Kongra-Gel in northern Iraq is divided into three 
groups, Talabani said, adding that the organization had lost 
its effectiveness.  Talabani described the PKK in Iraq as `a 
fish out of water.' `The Kurds do not want any more war,' 
Talabani stressed.  He said that Kirkuk should be given a 
special status with a governorship that would rotate 
annually among the Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen.  Talabani added 
that KDP leader Barzani would also support a special status 
for Kirkuk. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  US Elections; Iraq-Turkey-Kurds 
 
"Is Kerry Any Different Than Bush?" 
Sedat Laciner, a university professor, wrote in the Islamist- 
intellectual Zaman (7/9): "It is now a general wish in the 
world, particularly in the Arab and Muslim world, to see 
Bush lose the presidential election in November.  The world 
would prefer the new president to be a Clinton-like figure. 
Some even argue that there is already a political figure who 
could meet those expectations, namely John Kerry.  The Kerry 
campaign has been doing very well so far, especially because 
Kerry has received support from the Clintons.  Yet all of 
these expectations might turn into a disappointment, because 
there are some indications about Kerry that might make us 
long for Bush.  The election campaign for John Kerry is 
based on Bush's foreign policy failures, particularly the 
Iraq war.  However, Kerry's policies don't seem to be any 
different from Bush.  His criticism regarding the war on 
terrorism is not about its content and goals, but about 
style and methods.  Kerry has not yet pronounced himself on 
the possible withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and 
Afghanistan.  Moreover, he promises the American voters to 
use military force and make incursions into other places if 
and when the need arises. ... John Kerry's vision regarding 
Israel is also interesting.  He believes that the reason for 
the existence of the United States and the reasons for the 
existence of  Israel are interrelated.  Kerry's defintion of 
Israel as `the real democray in the Middle East' reflects 
his view of Turkey as well as other countries in the Middle 
East. ... Kerry is also very close to the Armenian lobby, 
which might cause problems for Ankara.  Unlike Bush, Kerry 
defines the events of 1915 as a genocide. ... Given such 
indications, it is possible to conclude that the post-Bush 
era will not be a bed of roses either for Turkey or for the 
Middle East.  It is possible that Kerry will make us miss 
the days of George Bush." 
 
"The Future of the Kurdish Movement" 
Oral Calislar wrote in the social democrat-opinion maker 
Cumhuriyet (7/9): "There are certain issues which will be 
clarified in the course of time.  For instance, how long 
will the PKK remain present in northern Iraq?  What is the 
US plan against the PKK?  In any case, it is possible that 
the US will take action against the PKK at any time, and as 
soon as that happens things will start to change.  Turkey's 
Kurdish issue, on the other hand, is going to be shaped 
through Turkey's democratization process.  It is unlikely 
that the PKK can play a role in this process.  Instead, we 
can expect a legal political struggle.   It seems Turkey is 
prepared to accept a federal Iraq.  A political amnesty in 
Turkey would help to settle Turkey's part of the Kurdish 
issue. ... The truth is that the Kurds in Turkey must now 
choose between a political struggle and armed action. 
Continuing both efforts at the same time is no longer an 
option.  There is no longer popular support for the armed 
struggle." 
 
DEUTSCH