US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6440

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006440 
 
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, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Iraqi children weep for their `angel,' Margaret Hassan - 
Sabah 
Iraq, too, cries for `Mother Margaret' - Hurriyet 
Husband wants Margaret's body back from insurgents - 
Milliyet 
Amnesty inquires about fate of other wounded in Fallujah 
mosque - Milliyet 
FM Gul: Incidents in Fallujah will leave deep scars - 
Milliyet 
Sunnis may revolt in Iraq, boycott elections - Aksam 
Putin's ultra nuclear bomb - Sabah 
Seven Turks killed in Iraq in past week - Milliyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
World gone mad: US not bound by law, Russia develops 
`Apocalypse' bomb, Japan changes its pacifist constitution - 
Cumhuriyet 
AI: Warring parties ignore protection of civilians in Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Bush's army made up of `baby killers' - Yeni Safak 
Rice's nomination will intensify the power of the `hawks' - 
Yeni Safak 
Rice's life is all about Bush - Radikal 
Chirac: Iraq war has increased terrorism - Cumhuriyet 
Turkish NGOs protest Fallujah incidents at US Embassy - 
Zaman 
Turkish students prefer New York - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Fallujah/Iraq:  FM Abdullah Gul said that he was deeply 
saddened by the killing of a wounded, unarmed Iraqi by US 
troops in Fallujah.  Gul stressed that the killing could 
have a deep psychological impact on the people of the 
region.  `US must act very carefully,' Gul noted.  Gul added 
that the upcoming Iraq conference in Egypt might indicate a 
`softening' of US policies with regard to Iraq. 
Parliamentary foreign relations committee chairman Mehmet 
Dulger (AK Party) said that the western world has become 
desensitized, and underestimates the value of Iraqis who 
have been killed or are missing.  `They see the Iraqis as no 
different from insects,' Dulger charged.  He also urged the 
EU step up to its responsibilities on the Iraq issue.  AKP 
deputy group chairman Faruk Celik said that those who bomb 
children and the infirm cannot be said to constitute a great 
state.  True Path Party (DYP) Chairman Mehmet Agar said that 
the murder of an Iraqi by US troops is linked to a `power 
elite that does not recognize any limit to pursuit of its 
interests.'  Most commentaries today also focused on the 
Fallujah incident and included harsh criticism of the United 
States.  Many columnists described US actions as `war 
crimes,' while others used the term `genocide.' 
 
Killing of Aid Worker:  Several dailies carried articles 
about the death of Margaret Hassan, the head of CARE 
International in Iraq, who was killed by her captors on 
Tuesday.  "Milliyet" and "Sabah" reported condemnations of 
the killing by British and Irish leaders as well as Iraqis. 
"Cumhuriyet," however, cited Robert Fisk's column in "The 
Guardian," in which Fisk questions whether an Islamist group 
was really responsible for the killing.  According to 
"Cumhuriyet," Fisk raised the possibility that Hassan may 
have been killed by someone else `to discredit the 
resistance.' 
 
FM Gul comment on Secretary Powell:  FM Gul said described 
outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell as a man who has 
`gained deep respect around the world.'  Gul said that 
Powell, being a good soldier, had an unrivaled sense of 
responsibility in critical events and in times of armed 
conflict.  `Secretary Powell has played an extremely 
significant role during his time in office,' Gul said. 
 
Turkish truckers killed in Iraq:  Two more Turkish truck 
drivers were killed near the town of Beyci, some 200 
kilometers north of Baghdad, Turkish papers report.  The 
truckers had been traveling south on the road to Baghdad 
when they came under attack.  A total of 31 Turks have been 
killed in Iraq since July 17 of this year. 
 
Cyprus/EU:  FM Gul said on Wednesday that if the EU offers 
Turkey any option other than full membership, Ankara would 
end its efforts to pursue accession talks.  Turkey has taken 
`bold and swift' steps forward to reach solution to the 
Cyprus problem, Gul recalled, adding that Ankara would not 
recognize Nicosia before the EU summit in December.  Gul 
also implied that a possible Greek Cypriot veto of Turkey's 
full accession will be blocked by other EU countries. 
Meanwhile, the European Parliament approved an EU assistance 
package for north Cyprus worth 259 million USD.  The package 
must also be approved by the EU Council. 
 
Turkish shop-owner closes door to Americans:  A Turkish shop- 
owner in Ankara posted a sign saying `Americans are not 
allowed' in the window of his shop in order to protest 
recent incidents in Fallujah.  The shop, which sells 
souvenirs and handicrafts, is located in the old part of 
Ankara and is frequented by American clients. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  Rice Nomination 
 
"Her Master's Voice" 
Sami Kohen commented in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (11/18): 
"Being very close to President Bush, Condoleezza Rice is 
expected to act according to her master's voice.  Powell at 
least had the courage to warn the hawks in the 
administration, and managed to establish a dialogue with 
friendly countries based on a more flexible diplomacy.  The 
State Department's new boss will likely act according to the 
strategies shaped by President Bush.  All of this means that 
the new Bush administration will continue its unilateral and 
aggressive policies." 
 
"The Reign of the Hawks" 
Yilmaz Oztuna argued in the conservative "Turkiye" (11/18): 
"The nomination of Rice for the State Department is a 
radical development which might affect world politics. 
Given her academic background, Rice is expected to make a 
rapprochement with Russia, but not with France.  Such a 
development might lead to a role for Russia in the Broader 
Middle East initiative.  Turkey might be offered a key role 
as well.  . The ongoing war in Iraq is ignoring human 
rights, and the entire world is criticizing the Bush 
administration.  Rice's presence at the State Department 
will not help to cool things off.  Powell at least tried to 
control Rumsfeld's more extreme tendencies.  Condoleezza 
Rice can be expected to support them and encourage him even 
more." 
 
"Condoleezza Rice Bush" 
Mustafa Balbay commented in the social democrat-opinion 
maker "Cumhuriyet" (11/18): "Current events validate the 
concerns that the second Bush administration will be even 
more hawkish than the first.  With the nomination of 
Condoleezza Rice, every cabinet member of the new 
administration can be identified closely with Bush. 
Apparently, Secretary Powell was a dove according to the 
Bush criteria.  .. When you look at Rice's record during the 
first administration, she championed the idea of reshaping 
the Middle East at all costs.  If you wonder about how this 
reshaping is to unfold, you should look at the Iraq example 
to see what the Bush administration understands about 
democracy and freedom.  Rice has been dubbed the world's 
most powerful woman.  Now she is going to do her best to 
exercise that power at the State Department." 
 
EDELMAN