US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4700

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004700 
 
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 19, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Al-Sadr's Conditional Surrender - Hurriyet 
New NSC Secretary General Vows to Support EU Bid - Hurriyet 
NATO Exercises to Take Place in Konya, September 4-16 - 
Sabah 
Cyprus Summit in Ankara - Sabah 
Turkey Offers Iraq Cooperation for Oil Production - Milliyet 
Israeli Military Trains US Troops in Guerrilla Tactics - 
Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Al-Sadr Bargains to Withdraw from Najaf - Cumhuriyet 
Israel Trains US Troops - Cumhuriyet 
FM Gul Urges EU to Fulfill Its Promises on Cyprus - Zaman 
In Search of Compromise on Cyprus - Radikal 
The US Prepares to Destroy Najaf - Yeni Safak 
NATO Air Meet Exercises to Take Place in Konya - Yeni Safak 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Al-Sadr Surrenders:  Al-Sadr's fighters who were taking 
shelter in Najaf's Imam Ali shrine decided to surrender 
after the Iraqi Defense Minister's warning that they would 
be `taught a lesson they will never forget.'  Al-Sadr has 
agreed to on condition of a full cease-fire in Najaf 
including the total withdrawal of US troops from the city. 
 
Cyprus:   All papers report on the `summit' that took place 
in Ankara yesterday on the Cyprus issue. Turkish Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul, `TRNC Prime Minister' Mehmet Ali 
Talat and `Foreign Minister' Serdar Denktas discussed a 
joint strategy to pursue with the EU and the UN in coming 
months to ease the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.  The EU 
Commission proposed last month a series of measures to 
address the issue by permitting direct trade and financial 
aid.  However, the EU Council, whose approval is required 
for the proposals to become official, is reportedly at odds 
with the Commission over the legal conditions surrounding 
the package.  Talat told reporters after his meeting with 
Gul that `there is a conflict between the commission and the 
council.'  `This indicates that we are heading for a 
critical period,' he continued.  The Council is expected to 
take up the issue in mid-September.  "Cumhuriyet" reports 
that FM Gul urged the EU to fulfill its promises to Turkish 
Cypriots.  The paper notes that Talat has written to UN 
Secretary General Kofi Annan expressing his concerns on the 
 
SIPDIS 
issue and criticizing the EU for its failure to act. 
 
General Karabay Defends Turks in Suleymaniye Incident: 
General Koksal Karabay, who is retiring from the military 
after being passed over for promotion, described the 11 
Turkish special forces who were taken prisoner by US forces 
in Suleymaniye in July 2003 as `heroes.'  Karabay, whose 
command at that time included oversight of the special 
forces, declined to provide further details about the 
incident, which created serious tension in the U.S.-Turkish 
relationship.  Karabay said there was no connection between 
the Suleymaniye incident and his failure to be promoted 
within the TGS. 
 
NSC Secretary General Supports Turkey's EU Bid:  "Hurriyet" 
reports that the newly assigned NSC Secretary General, Yigit 
Alpogan, will assume his duties in the second half of 
September, following the wedding of his daughter on 
September 4.  During an interview with "Hurriyet," Alpogan 
said that he will exert every effort to support Turkey's EU 
bid. 
 
Israel Trains US Troops:  "Cumhuriyet" cites the Jerusalem 
Post as a source for a report that Israel is using one of 
its military bases to train US troops in techniques of 
guerrilla warfare.  The US Embassy in Tel Aviv denied the 
report,  claiming that there are no US troops in Israel at 
the moment.  The Embassy made no comment concerning training 
that may have been given in the past. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Venezuela; US Global Defense Posture 
 
"Lessons from Venezuela" 
Umur Talu commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (8/19): 
"Venezuela brings us a litmus test for recapturing the 
genuine meaning of some concepts that have been distorted -- 
democracy, freedom, justice, and the fight against 
terrorism.  Venezuela and Iraq share certain similarities. 
Both have oil resources, a high level of poverty despite oil 
revenues, and political leaders hated by the US.  The major 
difference is that Chavez, unlike Saddam, is an elected 
leader.  Nevertheless, the Bush administration tried 
everything to topple Chavez.  When its attempt at a coup 
failed, the US did not give up, but tried to chip away at 
Chavez's legitimacy.  The referendum in Venezuela was a test 
for Chavez's legitimacy - a test that Chavez passed.  But 
according to the US, he is still not a legitimate leader. 
It is not hard to sympathize with feelings of hatred about 
dictators and terrorists, but why is it that the US hates so 
much an elected figure in a democratic country?  As author 
Greg Palast suggested, the Venezuela case stands as an 
example of the US struggle against democracy." 
 
"Pulling Back US forces" 
Hadi Uluengin wrote in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (8/19): 
"The US should not withdraw its forces from the European 
continent.  This argument has nothing to do with being pro- 
American.  If we could free ourselves of slogans and 
clichs, we would realize that the world cannot tolerate 
another power vacuum.  It is as bad for the world when the 
US acts unilaterally as when the US decides to retreat into 
isolationism. ... It seems that, based on the Global Force 
Posture Review, the US plans to return to its shell, as in 
the period from the early 1900s until 1941. Living in a 
shell will transform the US strategic vision, putting 
greater emphasis on anti-missile programs, more restrictions 
on visas and immigration, and a general neglect of European 
issues.  Such a radical strategic transformation will pave 
the way for more ethnocentric policies.  By sending American 
forces from Europe back to the United States, US authorities 
are reducing the biggest power in the neighborhood to the 
role of a bystander." 
 
EDELMAN