US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4630

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004630 
 
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, AUGUST 18, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEALS 
S&P Upgrades Turkey's Credit Rating - Sabah 
RTUK Permits Private Radio Broadcasts in Kurdish - Sabah 
US Repeats Request for `extensive use' of Incirlik - 
Hurriyet 
Al-Yaver: "We Won't Allow PKK Presence in Iraq" - Hurriyet 
First Civilian Secretary General for NSC - Hurriyet 
Internal Divisions in PKK - Milliyet 
Iraq Visas to be `Convenient' for Turkish Businessmen - 
Turkiye 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Scattered Promises from Al-Yaver - Radikal 
Sezer Approves Alpogan's for NSC Secretary General - 
Cumhuriyet 
US Insists on wider use of Incirlik - Cumhuriyet 
US Wants to transfer 48 F-16s from Germany to Incirlik - 
Zaman 
Shiite Leader el-Sadr Accepts Pope's Mediation Offer - Yeni 
Safak 
US Continues Discussions With Turkey Over Incirlik - Yeni 
Safak 
Cyprus Expert Assigned as NSC General Secretary - Yeni Safak 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Incirlik Air-Base:  All papers and TV channels report that 
Incirlik Air Base has moved to the top of the Pentagon's 
agenda with Turkey.  Under the US global force posture 
review, the US has asked Turkey for the use of Incirlik as a 
`forward operating area' for military operations against a 
common threat.  "Zaman" reports that a senior Pentagon 
offical told reporters that discussions will continue with 
Turkey for more flexibility for the use of Incirlik air 
base.  Reportedly, the US would like to transfer 48 F-16s 
from Spangdahlen air base in Germany to Incirlik.  "Zaman" 
adds that a State Department official said that the US had 
given Turkey information about the restructuring plans 
without making any official proposals.  "Hurriyet" quotes a 
US official in Washington as saying that `the Turks are hard 
bargainers, and we don't expect these negotiations to be any 
different.'  The official said that the US will not make any 
requests outside of Incirlik within the framework of the 
Global Force Posture Review.  He emphatically denied that 
the US would request a military presence in northern Cyprus. 
 
Intra-PKK Clash Reported in Mosul:  "Milliyet" reports that 
militants from the hard-line PKK faction in northern Iraq 
attacked a house in Mosul where other PKK elements loyal to 
Osman Ocalan had been living.  One of the hard-line PKK 
militants was wounded in the ensuing gunbattle and was later 
captured by Iraqi security forces. 
 
Al-Yawar Concludes Visit to Turkey:   "Zaman" reports that 
at the end of his two day visit to Turkey, Iraqi Interim 
President Al-Yawar said that agreement had been reached in 
all issues discussed.  Yawar announced that Turkey will 
resume activities of its Mosul Consulate, which was closed 
in 1995.  He added that talks for a second border gate 
between Turkey and Iraq will continue, and said he could not 
foresee any obstacle to the proposal.  In response to a 
question on the PKK, Al-Yawar said that no terrorist 
organizations would be allowed to harm neighboring countries 
from Iraqi territory.  Al-Yawar also repeated the Iraqi 
government's commitment to a unified Iraq.  "Sabah" reports 
that new Iraqi visa regulations were designed to prevent 
terror attacks and sabotage, and that al-Yawar promised that 
the visa process would be made convenient for Turkish 
businessmen.  Turkish Trade Minister Tuzmen predicted that 
the Iraqis would make visa issuance available to Turkish 
businessmen at border points of entry. 
 
Civilian Appointed to Head National Security Council: 
President Sezer approved the assignment of Yigit Alpogan, 
currently Turkey's Ambassador in Athens, as Secretary 
General for the National Security Council.  The assignment 
has been published in the official gazette and is now 
official.  Alpogan's assignment opens a new chapter in the 
NSC, as he is the first civilian to serve as Secretary 
General. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Venezuela; US Global Defense Posture 
Review 
 
"Chavez hands the US a defeat" 
Deniz Kavukcuoglu commented in the social democrat-opinion 
maker "Cumhuriyet" (8/18): "Hugo Chavez has long been a 
thorn in the side of the US because of his political 
position, which emphasizes national independence, economic 
sovereignty, a fair share of oil revenues, and the fight 
against poverty.  The US hasn't liked him since the day he 
was elected, and did everything possible to topple him.  The 
US provided enormous financial support for the opposition. 
In order to prepare the ground for a coup attempt against 
Chavez in 2002, the Bush administration had given 877,000 
USD to the opposition via the National Endowment for 
Democracy.  Yet Chavez was able to fend off every effort 
against him, largely because of his strong popular support. 
The recent referendum was another US-sponsored attempt to 
topple Chavez.  The people of Venezuela did not allow this 
to happen.  The result of the referendum is not only a 
victory for Chavez, but also a significant defeat for the 
US." 
 
"The New US Global Defense Posture" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (8/18): "It 
may seem that a withdrawal of American forces from abroad 
would reduce US security, but the main point of the recently 
announced changes is an expanded and more flexible military 
able to meet current threats.  US forces will be withdrawn 
or downsized from certain areas, yet a `forward base' 
strategy will also be implemented, and that includes Poland, 
Romania, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.   Such a change in US 
military strategy is quite natural, since the areas of 
challenge and threat have moved to the Eastern 
Mediterranean, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.  The nature 
of the challenge has also changed with the rise of global 
terrorism. ... The most important impact of the US decision 
will be on the future of NATO.  It remains to be seen to 
what extent the decision will effect the future of the 
Alliance.  Some European military strategists have already 
started a debate, calling on the EU to take up defense and 
security initiatives where the US has left off.  But the EU 
has never shown a willingness to take on such a 
responsibility alone. ... The withdrawal of US forces from 
`old Europe' and the transfer of some of them to `new 
Europe' is a decision important enough to create a new 
chapter in the strategic equilibrium.  Turkey will also take 
its place in this structuring, with Incirlik airbase 
becoming even more important than before." 
 
EDELMAN