US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5660

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005660 
 
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, OCTOBER 1, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Cyprus crisis between Ankara, EU - Vatan 
EU report: Turkey's EU membership will bring opportunities - 
Hurriyet 
Bombs strike children in Iraq - Sabah 
Massacre in Iraq: 41 children killed - Turkiye 
Blair ready to listen to Zarkawi - Vatan 
World nations oppose Bush - Milliyet 
US religious organizations working for Bush victory in polls 
- Milliyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
`TRNC' shadow on EU-OIC forum - Radikal 
EU surrenders to Greek Cypriots - Cumhuriyet 
Chirac, Schroeder to discuss Turkey - Cumhuriyet 
3,000 NATO troops to Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Al-Jazeera reports 10 foreigners abducted in Iraq - Yeni 
Safak 
Security concerns jeopardize Iraqi census - Zaman 
Child massacre in Iraq: 37 dead - Radikal 
62 percent of Germans want referendum for Turkey in EU - 
Yeni Safak 
Could Kerry become another Kennedy? - Zaman 
Israeli army attacks Jabaliya refugee camp, 26 killed - 
Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
EU term president may boycott EU-OIC summit:  EU term 
president the Netherlands urged European Union members to 
boycott the upcoming Istanbul forum between the European 
Union and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), 
scheduled for October 4-5.  The EU reaction came after 
efforts by Athens and Nicosia to block northern Cypriots' 
participation in the talks under the name `Turkish Cypriot 
State.'  Ankara has rejected an offer by the Netherlands for 
the `TRNC' to attend the forum as an observer.  Turkey's MFA 
is expected to announce a decision on the issue on Friday. 
(NOTE: Turkish media reported Friday afternoon that the 
forum has been canceled.  END NOTE). 
 
US Military Claims it Protects Turkish Truckers:  "Sabah" 
reports that in a meeting of US and Turkish officials at the 
Habur border gate on September 22, US Colonel Christopher 
Corkery said that US forces are doing their best to protect 
Turkish truck drivers in Iraq.  According to the report, 
Corkery told the Turks that the US, through a private 
security firm, provides helicopter surveillance of Turkish 
convoys.  Corkery added that from the Turkish border to the 
town of Filfil, near Mosul, 3 security vehicles are provided 
for every 100 Turkish trucks.  South of Filfil, the number 
of security vehicles is increased to 15.  Col. Corkery 
reportedly claimed that most of the Turks who have been 
attacked or kidnapped on Iraqi roads have failed to keep up 
with the convoy or have had mechanical breakdowns which have 
left them stranded by the roadside.  He reportedly urged the 
Turkish side to ensure that the trucks entering Iraq are 
relatively new and in good working condition. 
 
Syria Releases Turkish Truckers:  The Turkish press reported 
this morning that all 27 Turkish truckers detained in recent 
days by Syria for alleged diesel smuggling have now been 
released. 
 
EU Commission study on Turkey's EU drive:  According to 
research by the European Commission on the impact of 
Turkey's prospective membership on the European bloc, Ankara 
may have to wait until `well into the next decade' to join 
the EU. 
The EU will evolve over this period, and Turkey will change 
even more radically, the study claims.  The report also 
noted that the economic impact of Turkey's accession would 
be positive for the EU, but relatively small.  However, it 
added that Turkey has the material capacity to make a 
significant contribution to EU security and defense policy. 
`Turkey being a member of the EU would give the union 
greater weight in regional and world affairs,' the study 
concluded.  The study also recognized that Turkey's 
accession process will be different from other new members 
because of the combined impact of Turkey's population, size, 
geographical location, and economic, security and military 
potential.  It stressed that the successful incorporation of 
Turkey in the EU would give clear evidence to the Muslim 
world that their religious beliefs are compatible with EU 
values.  The study said that `as an ally of the United 
States, Turkey could play a bridging role on reform and 
modernization in the Middle East.' 
 
EU criteria on non-Muslims' religious rights:  Islamist- 
oriented "Yeni Safak" reports on its front page that the AK 
Party government is working to upgrade religious freedoms to 
a level consistent with the Copenhagen Criteria.  The EU 
requires that priority be given to non-Muslims on the issue 
of religious freedoms, writes "Yeni Safak."  Several 
churches have been opened for worship in Diyarbakir and 
Antalya, and a church in the southern coastal town Alanya is 
being restored.  As requested by the EU enlargement report 
for 2003, Ankara has resolved the problems faced by the 
Baha'i pertaining to places of worship.  A garden in Edirne 
province deemed sacred by the community has been returned to 
the Baha'i.  A friendly resolution of a case taken to the 
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) by the Asuncion 
Priests gave land previously confiscated by the state back 
to the congregation.  Several non-Muslim religious 
foundations have been granted the right to acquire real 
estate and to open places of worship.  A bill envisaging the 
return of property to non-Muslim foundations is to be 
submitted to parliament soon, "Yeni Safak" claims. 
 
Johnson criticizes torture applied by Americans:  Douglas 
Johnson, Director of the American Center for the Victims of 
Torture, said Thursday at the symposium on `New Tactics in 
Human Rights' in Ankara that the United States has been 
`deeply disgraced' by incidents of torture during 
interrogations at Abu Ghraib, Afghanistan and other places. 
`Fear has made the American nation tolerant of torture,' 
Johnson said.  For many years, Johnson was a consultant to 
the US government on the issue of torture in Turkey.  `Fear 
of terrorism can be no pretext for torture,' Johnson 
stressed, adding `I hope Turkey will help our government and 
nation to leave aside torture as a method of interrogation.' 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Campaign against terrorism/Iraq 
 
"Syria and Iran are the new US targets" 
Hasan Unal argued in the Islamist-intellectual Zaman (10/1): 
"The current US psychology is very similar to the post- 
Vietnam syndrome.  After the Vietnam failure, the American 
war industry wanted to expand the `war' to a larger area. 
After the Kennedy administration, the war lobby achieved its 
goal, using the Soviet threat as a pretext. .After the Iraq 
failure, the Washington administration seems to have a very 
similar mentality.  If Bush is re-elected there will be no 
chance to block the military industrial lobby.  Currently 
the expansion of the war psychology in the Bush 
administration is gaining full support.  This support comes 
not only from the arms and oil lobbies, but also from the 
media and financial sectors.  You might view these last two 
as a kind of `Jewish lobby.'  These groups are obsessed with 
Israel's security.  Their approach led the US into the 
occupation of Iraq, and it is not going to stop there. . 
Things did not work out well for the US in Iraq, but the US 
threat against Iran and Syria has not diminished at all.  It 
is growing with every passing day.  In the current 
atmosphere, it is becoming very likely that the US and 
Israel will collaborate in an attack against Iran.  Syria is 
also on the list, and might soon face a civil uprising or 
military operation from the outside." 
 
"Turkey is No Longer in Iraq" 
Mehmet Ali Birand opined in the mass appeal "Posta" (10/1): 
"No matter what our officials say, it is a fact that Turkey 
has no influence left on developments in Iraq.  Moreover, 
Turkey fails to understand these developments in detail. 
Although some claim that Turkey is lucky not to be involved 
in Iraq, I believe just the opposite.  Everything that 
happens in Iraq reflects directly on Turkey.  Iran filled 
Turkey's place immediately, getting closely involved in 
developments in Iraq.  Behind the US reaction to Iran's 
nuclear program lies the influence Iran has on the Iraqi 
Shiites.  Turkey's current policy is based on two factors: 
one is the Turkmen population. Ankara believes that the only 
way to have a say in Iraq is to arm Turkmen groups. 
Developments in Northern Iraq are still under the control of 
the military.  Neither the Foreign Ministry nor the National 
Intelligence Organization are present.  All information 
comes through the military, and all policies are still 
formulated from the military's perspective.  The second 
factor is the Kurds.  Ankara follows its traditional stance 
on this issue. In other words, Turkey still fears that the 
Kurds will declare independence.  Significant pressure is 
being applied to ensure that the Kurds don't get Kirkuk. 
This policy is based on a deep distrust of Kurds.  The 
situation in Iraq is deteriorating daily.  There are rumors 
that the US will withdraw from Iraq before stability is 
established.  Under such circumstances, it is unthinkable 
for Turkey to remain blind to the situation.  However, a 
more active role in Iraq depends on certain changes in 
Turkish policy.  No matter how much we organize or arm them, 
the Turkmen population cannot fight.  They are mostly middle 
class civil servants.  Instead of urging them to fight, we 
should find a different way to protect them.  The Shiite 
Turkmen should not be left out; they should also be taken 
under Turkey's protective umbrella.  The only way that 
Turkey can be involved and have some influence in 
developments in Iraq is through the Kurds in Northern Iraq. 
Despite their mutual distrust, the Turks and Kurds will be 
linked in the future.  The Kurds should know that without 
Turkey they will never be secure.  If a civil war erupts in 
Iraq, only Turkey can protect the Kurds.  A change in policy 
is not something that only concerns Turkey.  The Kurds 
should rethink their approach as well.  We don't have to 
like each other, but we should never forget that strategic 
interests bring countries together." 
 
EDELMAN