US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4995

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004995 
 
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, SEPTEMBER 3, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Russian mothers: Let our children go - Aksam 
FSB: School raiders part of international terrorist group - 
Hurriyet 
Terrorists release 32 women, children - Milliyet 
Russian intelligence: Mashadov, Basayev hiding in Turkey - 
Sabah 
Three more Turks killed in Iraq - Turkiye 
Kerry vows to recognize Armenian `genocide' - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
School terror blocks Putin's historic visit to Turkey - 
Zaman 
Tense waiting in Russia - Zaman 
Terror actions trap Putin inside Russia - Yeni Safak 
Republicans' nationalistic `marketing' of Bush - Cumhuriyet 
US jetfighters hit civilians in Fallujah - Cumhuriyet 
Israel threatens Syria with war - Yeni Safak 
US pushes UN for sanctions on Iran - Yeni Safak 
Germany presses for Turkey's EU membership - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Russia hostage crisis:  Two of the three Turks held hostage 
at a Russian school in North Ossetia were among the 26 women 
and children released on Thursday, papers report.  Chechen 
separatists have been holding hundreds of hostages since 
Wednesday morning.  The attack, which has claimed 12 lives 
so far, led to the postponement of a planned visit to Turkey 
by Russian President Putin.  Ankara on Thursday condemned 
the hostage-taking as an `unacceptable act of terrorism 
which can in no way be justified.'  "Sabah" reports that 
Russian sources believe Chechen rebel leaders Aslan 
Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev are hiding in Turkey. 
President Vladimir Putin told PM Erdogan that a fresh date 
for his visit to Turkey would be set soon. 
 
Erdogan on US/PKK, Israel/Palestine:  PM Erdogan said in a 
roundtable meeting with Turkish journalists that Turkey is 
losing patience with the US over its failure to crack down 
on PKK separatists hiding in northern Iraq.  Asked to 
comment on NSC Adviser Rice's remarks that the US was doing 
its best, through non-military means, to make PKK forces 
less active and less capable, Erdogan said that the 
Americans have not been responding to terror in a consistent 
way.  `They are bombing terrorists in Fallujah,' he said. 
`We also have terrorists in northern Iraq, so why is a 
different method being used there?'  The Prime Minister said 
that Turkey would `do what is necessary' to prevent the 
killing of its people.  Speaking about Turkey's relations 
with Israel, Erdogan said that `Turkey is also ready to 
contribute to the Middle East peace process.'  `On the one 
hand there is Israel, to which Turkey is bound by military, 
economic, and political ties, and on the other, there is 
Palestine to which we are bound by ties of faith.'  `The 
relationship between these two countries is an unpleasant 
one,' Erdogan concluded, and we are always against the 
killing of innocent people.' 
 
MFA denies allegations of new US logistical demands:  Press 
reports claiming that the use of Turkish ports and airports 
have been offered to the US for the transfer of military 
equipment are misleading, an MFA spokesman told the 
Anatolian News Agency on Thursday.  The spokesman said that 
the regulation, which appeared in Turkey's official gazette 
on Tuesday, referred to equipment entering Turkey for use at 
the Belbasi facility near Ankara.  Belbasi was used during 
the Cold War for detection of nuclear explosions.  The 
facility was subsequently turned over to Turkey for civilian 
use. 
 
More Turks killed in Iraq:  Turkey said on Thursday that the 
activities of its nationals in neighboring Iraq were only 
aimed at helping the war-torn country, as Iraqi insurgents 
announced that they had executed three more Turkish 
hostages.  The hostages appeared to have been killed by the 
Tawhid wa al-Jihad group, run by Al-Qaeda operative Abu 
Mussab al-Zarqawi.  `Turkey has always felt close to the 
Iraqi people.  Those who stubbornly turn a blind eye to this 
fact do not serve the interests of Iraq,' Turkey's MFA said 
in a statement.  The MFA also said it had decided to form a 
"task group" to monitor the safety of Turkish nationals 
working in Iraq. 
 
AKP lawmakers return from Israel:  An AK Party delegation 
which had been holding meetings in Israel since Wednesday 
wrapped up their talks with Israeli and Palestinian 
officials and returned home Thursday evening.  The lawmakers 
said the visit had been extremely positive for both 
countries.  The delegation said that all steps that Israel 
takes in the region should be taken in dialogue and 
cooperation with the Palestinian side. They also noted that 
Israeli officials expect PM Erdogan to visit Israel soon. 
 
Kerry pledges to recognize Armenian `genocide':   Turkish 
papers report that US presidential candidate John Kerry has 
promised the Armenian lobby that his administration would 
recognize April 24 as "Armenian genocide day" in honor of 
the Armenians killed by Ottoman forces in 1915.  Kerry's 
remarks have prompted Turkish-American voters to launch an 
internet campaign in support of President Bush. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Chechnya 
 
"Falling into the trap set by bin-Laden" 
Erdal Safak commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (9/3): "By 
looking at recent events around the world, one could easily 
draw a conclusion about how the world is being dragged into 
a very dangerous era.  Al-Qaeda has set as its goal to bring 
about a `clash of civilizations' and has just opened a new 
front in Russia following Iraq. . In a recent interview with 
Al-Bahri from Yemen, formerly a bodyguard for Osama Bin- 
Laden, there was clear indication about Al-Qaida's plans. 
He said that the organization intended to create a conflict 
between the US and the Islamic world.  . The strong reaction 
to the kidnapping of French journalists by Muslims all 
around the world is an encouraging sign that the Islamic 
world may have finally realized this trap." 
 
"Innocent Kids" 
Hasan Cemal wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (9/3): 
"There is nowhere to go and nothing to achieve by smashing 
the most sacred right of human beings - the right to life. 
The fight against such evil acts has come very late, and now 
mankind is paying the consequences.  Humanity must establish 
a joint front against terrorism, and time is running against 
us. . The cold war lasted for 50 years.  The triumph of 
freedom was not an easy goal against totalitarianism.  That 
being said, the fight against global terror requires a 
global strategy.  This war cannot be won unless all people 
open a joint front against terror.  The Western world -- 
i.e., the US and Europe -- will be the `engine' to initiate 
this process.  The immediate priority for leadership first 
goes to Washington.  The establishment of a global strategy 
will also be a good step toward breaking President Bush's 
tendency toward unilateralism." 
"Chechens use terrorism" 
Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in the mass appeal-sensational 
"Posta" (9/3): "We can no longer define acts committed in 
the name of Chechens as resistance, the protection of 
rights, or an independence war.  Innocent people are being 
killed.  Poor, unfortunate children are suffering.  The 
struggle for independence cannot include the crashing of 
planes, the placing of bombs, or the destruction of 
buildings. . There are some Chechen associations and even 
some political parties in our country who secretly support 
this terrorism. They are committing a grave mistake. . The 
double standard of `your terrorist is my freedom fighter' no 
longer applies.  Whoever murders an innocent person is a 
terrorist.  It does not matter if you are a Chechen, a Jew, 
a Palestinian, or even a soldier taking orders from your 
superiors.  Times have changed.  We need to be consistent 
against these kinds of incidents.  There is no other way." 
 
EDELMAN