US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6964

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 006964 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
PM Erdogan issues a last warning to Europe - Aksam 
Erdogan says EU should show it is not a Christian club - 
Milliyet 
EU wants `permanent restrictions' on Turks' labor movement - 
Sabah 
Greek Cypriots want Cyprus condition at EU summit - Sabah 
48 percent of Greeks want Turkey in EU, 45 percent oppose - 
Hurriyet 
Barry Rubin: Palestine must end terror - Hurriyet 
Abbas admits "intifadah" was a mistake - Hurriyet 
Turkish engineer abducted in Afghanistan - Milliyet 
General Myers takes celebrities to Iraq - Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Turkey will not concede at EU summit - Cumhuriyet 
EU, Turkey face tough bargaining over Cyprus - Radikal 
FM Gul: No recognition of Greek Cyprus - Radikal 
Paris says Armenian `genocide' can wait - Zaman 
Greek Cypriots march against Turkey's EU bid - Cumhuriyet 
Sunnis won't boycott Iraqi elections, Sadr still uncertain - 
Zaman 
400 insurgents return to Fallujah - Yeni Safak 
Israeli terror in Damascus - Yeni Safak 
8 Afghanis die under Americans' detention - Yeni Safak 
Cuba prepares against US attack - Yeni Safak 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Ankara on the eve of EU summit:  PM Tayyip Erdogan told EU 
envoys on Tuesday that Turkey `will not hesitate to say no' 
to an EU decision on opening entry talks if `unacceptable 
issues' are included in the EU statement.  Erdogan said his 
government would continue with political and economic reform 
no matter the outcome of the December 16-17 summit.  Ankara 
is concerned that the final summit declaration will make it 
too easy for the EU to suspend negotiations or to offer a 
`special partnership' rather than full membership.  Today, 
international wires report that European Commission 
President Jose Manuel Barroso told French TV that `the time 
is right for the European Union to begin accession talks 
with Turkey.'  `Turkey's inclusion in Europe will make a big 
contribution to peace in our continent and in the world,' he 
said.  Meanwhile, FM Abdullah Gul assured the parliament on 
Tuesday that Turkey would not recognize the Republic of 
Cyprus - `either directly or indirectly' - as long as there 
is no final agreement on the reunification of the divided 
island.  Greek Cypriot leader Papadopulos said that December 
17's EU summit would mark a new era for Turkey's EU 
aspirations.  During that period, he said, `the Cyprus issue 
will always be before Turkey.'  Papers report that the EU 
will insist that Ankara sign a protocol that would grant 
effective recognition to Cyprus by the spring of 2005. 
"Hurriyet" speculates that the Cyprus recognition question 
will be resolved by Turkey expressing a willingness to sign 
the protocol with the Dutch EU Presidency while submitting a 
side-letter clarifying that the protocol does not represent 
full recognition of Cyprus. 
 
Grossman's meetings with Turks `soften rough edges':  A call 
on U/S Grossman by PM Erdogan's advisors, Egemen Bagis and 
Vahit Erdem, had a considerable impact in softening strained 
relations between the US and Turkey, "Sabah" reports in a 
news commentary.  Grossman complained to the Turks about the 
recent tone of statements by politicians in Ankara that have 
encouraged anti-American sentiment in Turkey.  The criticism 
was directed primarily against the US military operation in 
Fallujah..  AKP lawmakers Bagis and Erdem told Grossman that 
most Turks reject anti-American sentiment.  They agreed with 
Grossman on the need for normalization of Turkish-Armenia 
ties, but added that Armenia must first withdraw from 
Nagorno-Karabakh and recognize Turkey's borders.  Grossman 
asked the Turks why the ecumenical issue, a historical 
matter, is so exaggerated in Turkey.  He also urged Turkey 
to re-open Halki Seminary.  The lawmakers said that the 
ecumenical issue is a `detail' for Turkey, and added that 
the government is working on the reopening of the seminary. 
Reminded about US pledges on the PKK, Grossman said the US 
will keep its word on the issue.  Grossman also stressed US 
support for Turkey's EU membership, but added that the US 
has refrained from making `high-profile' contacts with EU 
countries in an effort not to strengthen the hand of 
Turkey's opponents. 
 
Shiite leader supports Fallujah operation in Ankara:  The 
Iraqi Shiite leader Abdulaziz el-Hakim, head of the Islamic 
Revolutionary Council of Iraq (SCIRI), visited Ankara 
yesterday for talks with PM Erdogan and FM Gul.  El-Hakim 
said after meeting Erdogan that the people in Fallujah have 
been subjected to great cruelty - not by the Americans, but 
by the terrorists.  `Many holy places in Fallujah were 
occupied by terrorist groups, obliging Fallujans to ask for 
help from the Iarqi government,' el-Hakim said.  He later 
discussed with FM Gul political and security conditions in 
Iraq. 
 
EU creates `energy community':  The European Union met with 
Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Romania, 
Serbia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), 
Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo in Athens to 
create an `energy community' intended to strengthen the 
security of energy supply in the Balkans, the European 
Commission said on Tuesday.  The energy community will 
provide energy connections with South East Europe and, 
through that region, to the Middle East and Caspian region. 
The agreement will also help the EU diversify its sources of 
energy supply.  A treaty is to be signed next summer. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: EU-Turkey 
 
"The EU, France, and Genocide" 
Ali Bayramoglu observed in the Islamist-opinion maker "Yeni 
Safak" (12/15): "It seems that France has finally come up 
with a clear position for Turkey to get a date from the EU. 
That is, by satisfing the pro-Armenian element of French 
domestic politics through the use of genocide claims. 
France is also sensitive on the issue of the negotiation 
date.  For domestic political reasons, Paris insists that 
Turkey be given a date after June 2005 so that the French 
referendum on the EU Constitution will be over.  There is 
nothing wrong if Turkey is given July 2005 as a negotiation 
date.  Let's not forget that Turkey is a big piece for the 
EU to digest.  The fact is that Turkey continues to take 
steps toward its EU goal, and December 17 is certainly an 
important one." 
 
"Chance for Free Europe" 
Suleyman Demirel, former President of Turkey, wrote in the 
liberal-intellectual "Radikal" (12/15): "Turkish democracy 
presents a model by maintaining Islamic values but 
preventing these values from being misused in the political 
arena.  However, there are some Western thinkers who cling 
to a simplified approach and tend to see Islam as a threat. 
. For centuries Turkey, with its predominantly Muslim 
population, has held to its inclination toward the Western 
world.  . Turkey's joining the EU will bring the people of 
Europe and a Muslim community together within the framework 
of common global values.  Turkey's participation will also 
play a significantly important role to demonstrate that the 
EU is based on values, institutions, and a democratic 
civilization rather than on a common religion." 
 
"Strategic Partnership Ended" 
Tulin Daloglu observed from Washington in the conservative- 
sensational "Star" (12/15):  "Even though US officials claim 
that Washington has managed to overcome the shock of the 
March 1 incident, they don't hesitate to say that no real 
strategic partner would have acted as Turkey did at that 
time.  This fact cannot be forgotten by Washington. Ankara's 
steps towards Brussels will be watched with great interest 
here.  Despite Washington's full support for Turkey's EU 
accession, former US Ambassador Parris and Assistant 
Secretary Grossman reiterated strongly in speeches last week 
 
SIPDIS 
that Turkey doesn't need to put more distance between itself 
and the US just because it is getting closer to the EU.  In 
fact, Grossman and Parris' messages are very clear: Turkey 
should not choose between the US and the EU, but should be 
able to continue its strong dialogue with both.  Otherwise, 
Turkey will be on the losing side.  Turkey needs both the EU 
and the US in order to be powerful in the region.  Who 
knows, maybe Washington is planning to prepare Turkey as a 
bridge between the EU and the US before it becomes a bridge 
between east and west.  Sounds good!" 
 
"The Prime Minister's State of Mind" 
Asli Aydintasbas wrote in the mainstream daily "Sabah" 
(12/15):  "The most interesting question being asked in 
Ankara in recent days isn't about the latest EU draft for 
the summit, but rather about the state of mind of Prime 
Minister Erdogan, who will look at the final EU draft and 
make Turkey's decision.  One foreign diplomat who spoke with 
Erdogan this week said this: `I believe he still wants to 
reach and agreement.  But if a good agreement isn't put in 
front of him, he is also prepared to say no.' Another 
Western diplomat said `we're afraid that if a text that he 
doesn't like comes out, he may just bang on the table and 
say no.  He would look like a hero if he did that, but in 
the long run this would be bad for Turkey.'  Diplomats who 
have met with the Prime Minister as well as those in his 
inner circle say that his attitude is `hardening.'  They say 
that Erdogan has become increasingly convinced that Turkey 
is facing a kind of `injustice' by the EU.  According to a 
close advisor, the Prime Minister believes he has taken big 
risks in getting Turkey to this point, and that the issues 
brought up in recent days are unfair.  The Prime Minister 
communicated his disappointment in yesterday's AK Party 
group meeting.  European Ambassadors have asked Erdogan to 
prioritize his list of complaints about he most recent 
draft, but the PM has said that all of his concerns are 
equally important.  So those who have spoken to Erdogan 
recently are convinced that he is disappointed in the EU and 
will walk away from the table if he is faced with something 
he doesn't like." 
 
EDELMAN