US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4541

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004541 
 
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, AUGUST 12, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Wolfowitz proposes global militia force against terrorism - 
Milliyet 
Trains collide head-on: 6 dead - Hurriyet 
Another train disaster - Milliyet 
Turkey's rail system neglected for 50 years - Aksam 
Al-Qaeda preparing for a `big' assassination - Milliyet 
PKK member detained in US - Hurriyet 
Eurocorps takes over ISAF command - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Wolfowitz: US, Turkey allies despite differences on Iraq - 
Yeni Safak 
US moves to build `friendly' local forces - Radikal 
Erdogan won't tolerate delays in BTC project - Zaman 
Massacre looming in Najaf - Cumhuriyet 
Najaf sounds the alarm - Radikal 
US forces take down Kurdistan flags in Kirkuk - Zaman 
Al-Qaeda member Turks detained in Pakistan - Cumhuriyet 
Pakistan detains four Turks - Yeni Safak 
Vatican: Turkey should join the Arab world, not Europe - 
Cumhuriyet 
Robin Cook works to regain UK Muslims' votes - Zaman 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Wolfowitz: Turkey a strong ally in fighting terrorism:  US 
Assistant Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said that 
regardless of Turkey's views on US policies in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, the secular Muslim nation remains a very strong 
ally in the fight against terrorism.  Wolfowitz told the US 
House Armed Services Committee that if the US remains on the 
defensive, it will never win the war on terror.  He added 
that the US has developed close relations with several 
countries in the Islamic world, particularly Indonesia and 
Turkey. 
 
PM Erdogan visits Georgia:  PM Erdogan, on an official visit 
to Georgia, was received on Wednesday by Georgian President 
Saakashvili and met with PM Zhvania.  Erdogan told the 
Georgian leaders that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil 
pipeline project should be completed without further delay. 
Erdogan reiterated Turkey's support for Georgia's 
territorial integrity, and promised help in settling 
problems between Georgia and Russia.  The Turkish PM urged 
Saakashvili to respect the religious freedom of Moslems 
living in Georgia. 
 
Turkey suffers new rail disaster:  At least 6 people were 
killed and 85 injured when two trains collided head-on near 
Istanbul on Wednesday in the second major rail accident in 
Turkey over the past three weeks.  The incident once again 
brought Turkey`s decrepit railway system under the 
spotlight, and has led to widespread calls for the 
resignation of Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim. 
Earlier this month, AK Party legislators blocked an 
opposition move to censure Yildirim over the previous 
accident. 
 
Police on alert for PKK anniversary:  Turkish police, 
anticipatiing attacks on August 15, the 20th anniversary of 
the establishment of the PKK, are operating on a high 
security alert in major Turkish cities, "Cumhuriyet" 
reports.  The paper says that three PKK militants went to 
major cities in western Turkey to stage `spectacular' 
attacks after receiving explosives training in Athens and on 
Gabar mountain in northern Iraq. 
 
US court arrests alleged PKK member:  A US court ordered the 
arrest of Ibrahim Parlak, a Turkish national with alleged 
links to the PKK.  It was announced that Parlak would not be 
given a permanent residence permit in the US due to his 
terrorist connections.  Parlak was involved in a clash with 
security forces on Turkey's border with Syria in 1988, and 
was charged with the killing of two Turkish soldiers. Parlak 
went to the United States following his release from prison. 
The US court ordered the arrest based on false statements 
Parlak made on his application for permanent residency 
status. 
 
Vatican: `Turkey should join the Arabs':  Cardinal Joseph 
Ratzinger, doctrinal leader of the Roman Catholic Church, 
said that linking Turkey, a country `in complete contrast to 
Europe' to the European Union would be a mistake.  Ratzinger 
told France's "Le Figaro" newspaper that Turkey has always 
represented a different continent throughout its history. 
Ratzinger said Turkey should try to intensify its cultural 
relations with  neighboring Arab countries instead.  He 
added that this would not exclude cooperation between 
Islamic communities and the EU.  Ratzinger said, for 
example, that Islamic countries like Turkey could work 
together with Europe to combat fundamentalism. 
 
Russia lobbies for helicopter contract:  Russia's Defense 
Minister Sergei Ivanov will come to Ankara a day before 
President Putin's Turkey visit to lobby for a Turkish 
defense contract for the purchase of 50 attack helicopters, 
"Cumhuriyet" reports.  Ivanov will be meeting with Defense 
Minister Gonul to discuss the helicopter purchase, 
"Cumhuriyet" claims.  Turkey's Defense Industry 
Undersecretariat (SSM) recently canceled a state contract 
for 145 helicopters, and opened a new tender for the 
purchase of 50 attack helicopters urgently needed by the 
military. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
"As the Terror Spreads" 
Fikret Bila opined in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (8/12): 
"Terrorism has been given a push in Turkey and is climbing 
speedily in the big cities and in tourist areas.  Turkey had 
won its fight against terrorism by virtually eliminating the 
PKK, and for the last five years the struggle was to deal 
with the political problems that occurred during this 
process rather than to contend with terrorist activities. 
While Turkey was preparing to get a date from the EU for 
accession talks, the EU was pressuring for the political 
recognition of the PKK.  In order to get a date, Turkey has 
allowed the EU to tie its hands until December 2004.  During 
the same time period, under the new political conditions 
occurred with the US occupation of Iraq, the US stance was 
very clear on the issue of  the PKK and other Kurdish groups 
in Northern Iraq.  Ignoring Turkey's demands on these 
issues, Washington sided with the Kurdish groups.  The US 
did not take any action against the PKK, even after signing 
on to a joint action plan with Ankara.  Washington urged 
Ankara to approve some of its demands, including the 
repentance law, but fully ignored Ankara's demands.  This 
policy of the US is a serious problem for Turkey at a time 
when terrorism is increasing rapidly.  Turkey should 
question US policy on this issue very seriously.  Since 
Turkey, although sometimes reluctantly, has supported the US 
in its fight against terrorism, it is Turkey's right to 
expect concrete action from the US on this issue.  Turkey 
should not allow this distracted US position to continue. 
Turkey should also not bow to pressure by the EU and the US, 
and should realize that getting a date for talks from the EU 
and having the US fulfill its promise on the PKK are not 
favors given to Turkey, but rather Turkey's right.  Turkey 
is strong enough to pursue and attain its rights.  The most 
important thing here is for those who rule Turkey to trust 
themselves and their power." 
 
DEUTSCH