US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6648

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006648 
 
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 
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Sarkozy believes Turkey should not join EU - Sabah 
EU puts Cyprus condition on Turkish membership - Milliyet 
US Embassy: Charges of `genocide' in Fallujah baseless - 
Milliyet 
PM Erdogan elected `European of the Year' - Hurriyet 
US threatens to take Iran's nuclear program to UN - Aksam 
Zawahiri takes stage again - Hurriyet 
Sharon to meet Palestinian leaders - Milliyet 
Sarkozy a Blair fan and friend of US - Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Sarkozy opposes Turkey joining EU - Radikal 
With Sarkozy, Ankara's EU task harder - Cumhuriyet 
Balir: EU should not discriminate against Turkey - Radikal 
AKP wants presidential system for Turkey - Cumhuriyet 
Minister Sahin to US to inquire about crisis management - 
Yeni Safak 
US, EU to launch new Cyprus initiative - Radikal 
Zawahiri vows to continue fighting US - Yeni Safak 
Hamas offers cease-fire - Yeni Safak 
Hamas may join Palestinian administration, offers cease-fire 
- Zaman 
IAEA: Iran has suspended nuclear activities - Yeni Safak 
Nuclear crisis with Iran shelved - Radikal 
Western world concerned about split in Ukraine - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
US Embassy statement on Fallujah:  A US Embassy statement, 
in response to heavy criticism by parliamentary HR 
commission chairman Mehmet Elkatmis over the fighting in 
Fallujah, said that accusing US forces of committing 
`genocide' in Iraq was `baseless, inflammatory, and 
offensive.'  `The recent operations in Fallujah were 
conducted to free the people of that city from violent 
insurgents who were terrorizing Iraqi citizens and murdering 
Iraqis and foreigners, including Turkish truck drivers and 
contractors,' said the statement.  The Embassy also strongly 
denied press claims that US forces have used chemical and 
atomic weapons in Fallujah. 
 
Some AKP lawmakers want relations with US `suspended':  Some 
lawmakers in the ruling AK Party want Turkey to suspend 
relations with the US over the situation in Iraq, 
"Cumhuriyet" reports.  AKP Adana lawmaker Abdullah Caliskan 
called on `hundreds of thousands' in Turkey to denounce the 
US and demonstrate against recent incidents in Iraq.  `Our 
government should review cooperation with the US, 
temporarily suspend relations with Washington, and instead 
work with the countries around Iraq,' Caliskan said.  AKP 
deputy group chairman Sadullah Ergin said he respected the 
sensitivity that has been displayed by demonstrators at a 
rally in protest of the US military operation against 
Fallujah.  The rally was held by Turkey's banned Islamist 
leader Necmettin Erbakan's "Saadet Party" (SP) in Istanbul 
over the weekend. 
 
EU to set conditions for opening entry talks with Turkey: 
Turkey will have to recognize Cyprus in order to open EU 
entry talks, according to a draft report being prepared for 
the upcoming EU summit on December 17.  The EU draft 
considers the possibility of permanent curbs on free 
movement of Turkish workers in the EU.  The draft sets a 
strict framework for negotiations, and stresses that 
membership talks will not be concluded until the EU has 
agreed on its post-2014 budget.  `Such drafts frequently 
change.  These are tactics,' FM Abdullah Gul said in Ankara 
before flying to the Netherlands for talks with EU and 
Mediterranean countries.  About the EU call for Turkey to 
recognize Cyprus, Gul said the EU should first allow 
accession talks to begin.  `We will think about such things 
as recognition of Cyprus afterwards,' Gul noted.  Gul 
reaffirmed that Turkey will only settle for negotiations 
leading to full membership and is not interested in any 
`special partnership.'  PM Tayyip Erdogan said it is for the 
Greek Cypriots to make a gesture now after they rejected the 
Annan Plan. 
 
Greek Cypriots to `photograph' hotels in north:  In an 
effort to damage tourism in north Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot 
Administration will get satellite photographs taken of 93 
tourism facilities constructed by Turkish Cypriots on land 
owned by Greeks before 1974, "Radikal" reports from Lefkosa. 
Nicosia will then send the photographs to prominent travel 
agencies around the world, saying most of the hotels in the 
`TRNC' are illegal.  The Greek Cypriot Administration has 
reached agreement with a company in the Middle East to do 
the photographing. 
 
Armenian Turks vs. the diaspora:  Armenian Turks and 
Armenians in the diaspora debated at a conference in 
Marseilles, France over the issue of recognition of the 
Armenian `genocide' by Ottoman forces in 1915, "Hurriyet" 
reports.  Turkish daily "Zaman" columnist Etyen Mahcupyan 
warned that diaspora Armenians' efforts to block Turkey's EU 
membership would work against the interests of both Armenia 
and the Armenians living in Turkey.  `Armenians in the 
diaspora do not seek a solution, they seek vengeance,' 
Mahcupyan told the diaspora representatives in the 
Marseilles meeting.  Turkey's only Armenian daily, "Agos" 
editor in-chief Hrant Dink blamed Armenians outside Turkey 
and Armenia for not `perceiving' the change in Turkey: 
`Turkey's membership in the European bloc will provide 
significant opportunities regarding the future of the 
Armenian world,' Dink said, and warned that if such efforts 
manage to halt Turkey's EU drive, all Armenians would be 
negatively affected. 
 
Putin to visit Turkey early December:  Russian President 
Vladimir Putin will visit Ankara on December 5-6 for talks 
on bilateral relations and global issues.  The two sides are 
expected to discuss boosting cooperation in energy, tourism, 
transport and fighting terrorism.  They will also raise the 
oil traffic in the Straits, through which over a quarter of 
Russian oil is shipped.  Putin postponed an earlier trip in 
September due to a school siege in the southern Russian town 
of Beslan, in which hundreds were killed.  Putin's will be 
the first official visit to Turkey by a Russian head of 
state since 1972. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
 
"Criticizing The United States" 
Yilmaz Oztuna observed in the conservative-mass appeal 
"Turkiye" (11/30):  "The Fallujah incidents have damaged the 
US global image.   Although criticism at every level takes 
place in the media, experienced press members are usually 
careful about what they write.  Politicians should also be 
very careful about what they say.  The Parliament is the 
highest body in politics.  In every democracy,  political 
parties and parliamentarians can argue, fight, and debate in 
the parliament.  However, words that can negatively affect 
the state's interests should never be used.  Good politics 
entails the use of logic and wisdom, and does not resort to 
raw personal feelings.  It is only natural to criticize the 
US' Iraq policy in parliament.  However, insulting the US 
with this criticism will only harm Turkey.  Obviously, the 
US will respond clearly and harshly to this criticism 
because, as a superpower, it is capable of doing that.  How 
ugly it is to mention Hitler, Mussolini, and genocide.  The 
US has been Turkey's ally and a good friend for over half a 
century. If the US violates human rights and international 
agreements, Turkey can warn the US about this.  But 
insulting statements can open big wounds.  Besides, Turkey 
is reacting more harshly than the 20 Arab countries on the 
Iraq and Palestine issues.  Don't you think this is rather 
strange?!  Is it only Turkey's responsibility to act as a 
champion of human rights in Iraq?  This editorial is meant 
as a caution.  Turkey entered the Balkan war and the First 
World War after the rulers provoked the public to revolt. 
We should never repeat the same mistakes.  Special care 
should be given not to engage in acts that will be 
interpreted as an investment in future votes." 
 
"With or Without the Elections" 
Prof.Dr. Haluk Ulman opined in the economic-political 
"Dunya" (11/30):  " Even though they are well aware that 
stability will not be established in Iraq after the 
elections and the US occupation will not end in the near 
future, participating countries in Sharm-Al-Sheikh carefully 
avoided offending the US.  It is not yet clear that the 
resistance spreading towards Mosul and Kirkuk will be 
stopped.  In fact, it is doubtful that the elections will 
ever take place.  Even if they are held, the Sunnis are 
determined to boycott.  Since 30 per cent of the Iraqi 
population are Sunnis, it is hard to see how these elections 
can be considered legal and representative.  Sunni leaders 
in Iraq are continuously calling for the cancellation of the 
elections.   Viewing the issue from this angle, a civil war 
between the Sunnis and the Shiites/Kurds in a post-election 
Iraq is unavoidable.  If a Shiite-centered government comes 
to power in Iraq, that will be the end of the dreams 
President Bush had for the Middle East.  Kurds won't be 
happy with a Shiite government either, because Shiite 
leaders have already clearly said they won't leave Kirkuk 
and Mosul to the Kurds.  Therefore, whether there are 
elections or not, a civil war in Iraq would not be very 
surprising.  Such a developing could draw in neighboring 
countries as well. Let us see how President Bush will  react 
then." 
 
EDELMAN