US embassy cable - 04ANKARA5777

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005777 
 
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 8, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
For Turkey, a ten-year negotiation period ahead - Milliyet 
Turkey the first Muslim nation to approach EU - Hurriyet 
Straw: Entry talks with Turkey will begin in 2005 - Milliyet 
Prodi: No future for EU without Turkey - Sabah 
Second Bush-Kerry duel tonight - Sabah 
Triple attack on Egyptian tourism - Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Tough EU entry talks ahead for Turkey - Radikal 
PM Erdogan: This is just a beginning - Radikal 
Straw pledges entry talks with Turkey in July - Radikal 
FM Gul: Kurds are not a minority in Turkey - Yeni Safak 
Oliver Roy: Problem with Turkey the economy, not Islam - 
Zaman 
Greek Cypriots angry at Verheugen - Radikal 
Kerry denies he's supported Armenian `genocide' cause - 
Zaman 
US weapons experts invalidate reasons for Iraq's occupation 
- Cumhuriyet 
Israel kills children deliberately - Yeni Safak 
Bombs kill 100, mostly Israelis, in Egypt - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Turkey in wake of EU report:  The EU Commission on Wednesday 
issued a `qualified' recommendation for the opening of 
membership negotiations with Turkey.  The 25 EU leaders will 
make a final decision on December 17 about when to launch 
the talks.  Even if accession talks begin, Turkey is not 
seen joining the EU before 2015.  EU outgoing enlargement 
commissioner Gunther Verheugen said that by rejecting 
Ankara's bid to join the European bloc, the EU would run the 
risk that Turkey's democratization would come to an end and 
would eventually fail.  Turkish FM Abdullah Gul voiced hope 
Thursday at a joint news conference with visiting British FM 
Jack Straw that a clear and open decision will be taken by 
EU leaders in December.  Straw said he believed that 
negotiations would start without delay when Luxembourg takes 
over the EU rotating presidency in January.  If not, Straw 
noted, Britain would do its best to see partnership talks 
with Ankara begin in the second half of 2005, when London 
takes the chair.  `This is just the beginning,' PM Erdogan 
told lawmakers in parliament. `The EU Commission decision 
shows that Turkey has passed another threshold,' he said. 
Some commentators believe that Ankara may still come under 
pressure for more concessions.  Turkey's EU negotiation 
process will be as difficult as the reforms it has enacted 
thus far, "Radikal" predicted.  The paper pointed to many 
issues that remain to be tackled, including torture, the 
right to broadcast in languages other than Turkish, civilian- 
military relations, and long-awaited reforms for Turkey's 
religious minorities.  Papers also highlight the EU 
Commission report as describing both Kurds and Alevis in 
Turkey as `minorities.'  FM Gul said on Thursday that it was 
`out of the question' that Kurds and Alevis in Turkey will 
be given a `minority' status.  "Milliyet" writes that the 
Commission report has also demanded a retrial for imprisoned 
PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.  Analysts do not anticipate that 
the EU will expect Ankara to recognize Greek Cyprus or start 
withdrawing troops ahead of the December decision.  But they 
recall that Ankara will have to sign an EU customs union 
protocol with the `Republic of Cyprus.'  Greek Cypriots were 
reportedly annoyed by the EU Commission for not putting in 
its recommendation envisaging recognition by Ankara of 
Nicosia or withdrawal of Turkish troops from the divided 
island.  Verheugen had to remind Greek Cypriot diplomats 
about Nicosia's rejection of the UN-backed blueprint for the 
reunification of Cyprus, Turkish papers report.  `At this 
stage, I have no gift to offer the Greek Cypriots,' 
Verheugen said. 
 
Kerry denies he's supported Armenian genocide claims:  The 
Democratic competitor in the US presidential election, John 
Kerry, told the conservative/intellectual Turkish daily 
"Zaman" that he does not plan to recognize the massacre of 
Armenians by Ottomans as `genocide,' contrary to some 
Turkish press reports in early September.  Kerry denied he 
promised in a letter to 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.  `If elected, I will continue US support for 
Turkey's full EU membership,' Kerry added. 
 
Barzani due in Ankara:  The northern Iraqi Kurdistan 
Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani is due in 
Ankara next week following a long interval, "Cumhuriyet" 
reports.  Barzani will discuss with Ankara the upcoming 
Iraqi elections and the situation in Kirkuk. 
 
Osman Ocalan Ally Killed by PKK Faction:  "Sabah" reports 
that a close associate of Osman Ocalan, brother of jailed 
PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, was kidnapped in Mosul and later 
executed by a PKK faction.  The man was reportedly abducted 
earlier this week from a house in Mosul that housed the 
offices of Osman Ocalan's nascent political party. 
 
Peshmerge attack Turkish truckers:  Nine Turkish trucks 
carrying humanitarian aid to Iraq were attacked around Mosul 
while en route to Turkey, "Yeni Safak" reports.  Truckers 
said the peshmerge in northern Iraq fired on Turkish trucks, 
but allowed the passage of Syrian and Iraqi lorries. 
 
Bomb explodes near Istanbul Patriarchate:  A sound bomb 
exploded in the garden of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in 
Istanbul early Thursday, causing slight damage to the nearby 
Hagia Yorgi cathedral.  No injuries were reported in the 
explosion.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeus I said the 
bombing had been perpetrated by those aiming to block 
Turkey's EU drive. 
 
Arinc re-elected parliament speaker:  Bulent Arinc, current 
parliamentary speaker and a member of the ruling AK Party, 
was reelected speaker of Turkey's parliament by a large 
majority.  Arinc received 381 votes in the third round, and 
will serve a new three-year term. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  EU-Turkey 
 
"Now it is Time for the Date" 
Mehmet Ali Birand wrote in mass appeal-sensational "Posta" 
(10/8): "The relationship between Turkey and the EU is like 
a football match.  The match began with the opening whistle 
at the EU Summit in Helsinki in 1999.  It was a hard fought 
match. . The EU Commission report was chalked up as the 
opening goal, and the first half has ended with Ankara 
leading 1-0.  The second half of the match will be played on 
December 17, again in Brussels.  The opposing side will have 
different players this time.  The 25 heads of state and 
government will take their places on the field.  The second 
half will be even tougher than before, because many of the 
players on the other side are committed to eliminating the 
idea of Turkey's membership in the EU.  . The EU Commission 
gave the green light, but there is still a chance -- albeit 
a slight one -- that the member countries will forget about 
their promises on December 17.  The main problem lies with 
the French attitude. . Under current conditions, it appears 
that there is no other serious opposition at the December 17 
summit apart from France.  However, France's attitude may 
also change.  In sum, Wednesday was an historic day for 
Turkey, but much more remains to be done." 
 
EDELMAN