US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4742

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004742 
 
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, AUGUST 20, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Judiciary was Bribed in Cakici case - Hurriyet 
Sadr Rejects Allawi's Ultimatum - Hurriyet 
Turkey to Sign Customs Agreement with Greek Cyprus - 
Hurriyet 
Telephone Taps Record Judiciary-Mafia Link - Sabah 
Condoleeza Rice: "US Using Non-Military Methods to Eliminate 
PKK" - Sabah 
Cakici Supplied Materials for Villa of Court Chairman - 
Milliyet 
Al-Sadr Threatens US - Turkiye 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US Planes Bomb Najaf - Cumhuriyet 
Washington Insists on Incirlik - Cumhuriyet 
Iran Threatens the US - Cumhuriyet 
Appeals Court Chairman Accused of Tipping off Cakici - 
Radikal 
Al-Sadr Rejects Cease-Fire Offer - Yeni Safak 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Fighting Continues in Najaf:  Fierce fighting erupted in 
Najaf after the Shiite leader Al-Sadr defied Iraqi 
Government orders to end the uprising and surrender.  After 
al-Sadr's refusal to vacate the holy shrine with his men, US 
aircrafts and tanks reportedly opened fire in the vicinity 
of the shrine.  Morning news reports suggest that Al-Sadr 
may have ordered his fighters to evacuate the holy site. 
 
Captors Threaten to Kill Turkish Hostage:  A terrorist group 
holding a Turkish worker in Iraq threatened to kill their 
hostage within tree days unless his company agreed to end 
its activities in Iraq.  Several papers report that the 
hostage's employer, the Turkish firm Tepe, announced last 
night that it would pull out of Iraq. 
 
Rice Comments on the PKK:  Several papers report comments by 
National Security Advisor Condolleezza Rice in response to a 
question in Washington concerning the PKK.  Rice reportedly 
said that the US is working with Turkey on all possible 
methods, short of a military operation, for dealing with the 
PKK threat from Iraq.  She noted that the US regards the PKK 
as a terrorist organization. 
 
Judiciary-Mafia Link:  "Hurriyet" reports that records from 
phone taps show that Mafia leader Alaatin Cakici bribed 
judicial officials in order to turn the Court of Appeals 
ruling in his favor.  "Radikal" reports that  the chairman 
of the Court of Appeals warned Cakici about his likely 
arrest, thereby giving him a chance to flee the country. 
"Milliyet" draws attention to the fact that building 
materials used in the reconstruction of Eraslan Ozkaya's 
villa were supplied by Cakici's right-hand man, Hakki Suha 
Sen.  Cakici had allegedly instructed Sen not to accept any 
payment from the chairman for the reconstruction.  "Sabah" 
reports that Ozkaya continues to deny any connection with 
Cakici, and many are now looking to President Sezer to 
intervene in order to save the reputation of the judiciary. 
 
Washington to Present Turkey With New Proposals for 
Incirlik:  "Cumhuriyet" reports that the Pentagon is working 
on new proposals for Incirlik Air base.  Turkey had rejected 
a US request for the deployment of two F-16 fleets in 
Incirlik.  The US had sought flexibility in the use of the F- 
16s to counter possible threats in the region.  The paper 
claims that Washington is working on a proposal that would 
be more acceptable to Ankara.  Diplomatic sources say the 
new offer is expected before autumn.  "Cumhuriyet" 
speculates that possible proposals include a request for 
permission to allow U-2 planes to fly over Turkish 
territory, and the deployment of long-range helicopters and 
two divisions of US ground troops at Incirlik. 
 
2 Americans Fined for Missionary Activities:  "Milliyet" 
reports that four foreigners, including two Americans, were 
detained in Nigde (near the tourist region of Cappadocia) 
for distributing religious materials to local citizens.  The 
suspects were fined 111 million Turkish lira (approximately 
75 USD) each before being released. 
 
Cyprus:  "Hurriyet" cites a Greek Cypriot press report that 
Turkey has agreed to extend its customs union agreement with 
the European Union to Greek Cyprus and that the agreement 
will be signed this fall.  `TRNC Prime Minister' Mehmet Ali 
Talat characterized Turkey's signing of a customs union 
agreement with Cyprus as `inevitable.' 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Iraq; Cyprus 
 
"Regarding Iraq, the Address for Turkey is Washington is not 
Baghdad" 
Zafer Atay wrote in the political-economic "Dunya" (8/20): 
"The visit of Iraqi interim President Al-Yawar to Ankara 
failed to meet Ankara's high hopes on issues like the fight 
against the PKK in northern Iraq, the status of Kirkuk, the 
Turkomen problem, and the oil-for-exports trade deal.  The 
visit ended with zero gain for Ankara.  We found an Iraqi 
figure ready to our requests and proposals, but one who 
refrained from making any commitments. ... In order to 
understand the reality, we should first look at the status 
of Iraq.  Despite the `transfer of sovereignty,' Iraq is 
still under occupation.  The US still has the full control 
over political and military authority in the country.  Thus 
Turkey's requests should be addressed to Washington, not to 
the Iraqi administration.  Washington now has enough trouble 
in Iraq, and has neither the time nor the enthusiasm to 
listen to our requests.  Moreover, it is not in the US 
interest to meet Turkish demands.  The Bush administration 
is trying to arrange a three-way federation system in Iraq - 
- Kurds in the north, Sunnis in the Baghdad area, and 
Shiites in the south.  Washington does not want to see 
Ankara in this picture, knowing that Turkey is against this 
American plan for Iraq's future." 
 
"The Embargo Against Turkish Cypriots" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal Milliyet (8/20): 
"Turkish officials continue to hope that the EU will 
eventually keep its promise and lift the embargo against 
Turkish Cypriots. If that does not happen, Ankara will be 
very disappointed and will be forced to come up with new 
steps based on a new reality. Such a situation would all but 
end hopes for a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus 
issue, and would likely lead to a tougher stance within the 
Turkish Cypriot administration and the Turkish Cypriot 
community. ... If the Greek Cypriot side does not change its 
current approach, and if the EU acts together with the Greek 
side, the Turkish Cypriots will be less inclined toward a 
unified Cyprus and move back to the idea of integration with 
Turkey idea.  The Greek Cypriot administration must see this 
reality if it is really concerned about the divided status 
of the island.  This goes for the EU, the US and the United 
Nations as well." 
 
EDELMAN