US embassy cable - 04ANKARA7190

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 007190 
 
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, DECEMBER 28, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Tsunami Hits 2,950 Turks in South Asia As Well - Aksam 
 
SIPDIS 
M. Dobbs of Washington Post: It Was Like Noah's Flood - 
Sabah 
Iraqi Sunnis to Boycott Upcoming Elections - Aksam 
Papadopoulos Defends Greek Cypriot Rejection of Annan Plan 
Israel Releases 159 Palestinians in Goodwill Effort - Aksam 
First Israeli Withdrawal From Gaza - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
FM Gul to pay first foreign visit to Israel next week - 
Radikal 
146,971 Turkish Cypriots to Vote at Early Polls - Yeni Safak 
US Troops Sell Iraqi Corpses' Organs - Yeni Safak 
Assassination Attempt Against El-Hakim - Yeni Safak 
Bin Ladin Calls For Boycott of Iraqi Elections - Radikal 
West Wins in Ukraine - Yeni Safak 
US Will Continue to Lead Global Economy in 2005 - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Thousands of Turks Reportedly Missing in Southeast Asia: 
Turkish papers estimate 3,000-3,500 Turks were caught up in 
the earthquake and tsunami in southeast Asia, which claimed 
at least 30,000 lives.  Ankara has sent a plane to the 
Maldives to fetch around 300 Turkish citizens who are 
stranded there.  The press reports that 30 Turks have not 
been accounted for after the disaster. 
 
FM Gul Due in Israel:  FM Abdullah Gul will visit Israel and 
Palestine January 4-5 for consultations with top leaders in 
the two countries, papers report.  Tel Aviv, looking forward 
to the Gul visit, will tell the Turkish FM that the Israelis 
would like to host PM Erdogan as well, "Zaman" claims.  In a 
goodwill gesture, Israel has released 159 Palestinian 
prisoners on the eve of Palestine presidential elections. 
 
US Troops Involved in Organ Trafficking:  The Islamist- 
oriented "Yeni Safak" cites a report in Saudi Arabia's 
official daily "Al-Vatan" claiming that `systematic 
involvement in organ trafficking by US troops serving in 
Iraq.'  The report is based on `secret European military 
sources.'  Syria's influential daily "Tesrin" also carried 
the report,  "Yeni Safak" notes.  US military doctors in 
Iraq allegedly help American soldiers to transfer organs 
from Iraqi corpses to the American market.  US doctors 
immediately carve out organs of Iraqis killed or wounded for 
transfer to the US, the report claims, adding that some 
corpses have also been decapitated.  US teams pay Iraqis $25- 
40 to inform about the location of the heavily wounded or 
killed Iraqis, according to the report.  The "Al-Vatan" 
story also claims that some inmates who have died at Abu 
Ghraib prison have undergone similar `operations' to remove 
their organs. 
 
Five Turks remain in Abu Ghraib Prison:  "Yeni Safak" also 
reports that five Turkish nationals are still being held at 
Abu Ghraib prison for allegedly supporting insurgents in 
Iraq.  The report is based on comments attributed to Iraq's 
Human Rights Minister, Bahtiyar Muhammed Emin. 
 
Abducted Turkish Worker Still Alive in Iraq:  A Turkish 
national who has been missing in Iraq for one month has been 
seen alive in footage posted on the internet by insurgents, 
papers report.  Faith Nergiz, 30, was reportedly working for 
a US company in Iraq when he was abducted. 
 
US Troops Raid ITF Bureau:  Turkey's "Dogan News Agency" 
(DHA) reports from Kirkuk that US troops raided and 
destroyed the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) office in the town 
of Yayci, near Kirkuk.  The ITF is demanding an apology, 
according to the report, which was first seen on Turkmen- 
controlled television. 
 
Kurds Flock to Kirkuk to Escape Killings; Few Fallujans 
Return Home:  Papers carry "Reuters" wire reports claiming 
that over 500 Kurdish families have recently moved to Kirkuk 
in an attempt to escape deadly attacks on Kurds in the 
northern Iraqi town of Havica.  Meanwhile, about 8,000 
Fallujans have returned home, only to leave again after 
seeing that their houses have been destroyed in the 
fighting, "Aksam" reports.  Only a few people from the town 
have decided to stay, according to US General Erv Lessel. 
 
American Families Help Iraqi War Victims:  Families of US 
troops killed in Iraq have donated $600,000 to Iraqi war 
victims who who were forced to leave their homes in 
Fallujah, reports Turkey's all-news channel "NTV."  Some 
members of US victims' families told the press how terrible 
they felt after seeing the desperation of Iraqis fleeing 
their hometown that had to be destroyed by the American 
army.  `We want to show the war victims in Iraq that 
somebody cares for them,' said one American mother. 
 
Kissinger Suggests Possible Division of Iraq:  Former US 
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told CNN-International 
 
SIPDIS 
that the United States should accept the division of Iraq 
along ethnic lines if a Shiite theocracy emerges from the 
January 30 elections.  In that case, the US may decide to 
allow all competing groups in the country to establish their 
own governments, Kissinger said.  Kissinger also advised the 
US administration to seek help from countries like Turkey, 
Russia, and India in its efforts to stabilize Iraq. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
?    ASIAN QUAKE 
?    UKRAINE 
?    CYPRUS/IRAQ 
 
"The Power of Nature Cannot Be Overcome, But." 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (12/28): "The 
devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in South Asia once 
again reminded us of the colossal power of nature and the 
helplessness of human beings.  There is no way to stop 
natural disasters like this, but there are ways to arrange 
early warning systems that could reduce the number of 
casualties.  Unlike in North America and the Pacific, South 
Asian countries do not have an early warning system that 
might have helped to save lives in this disaster. . South 
Asia grieves and tries to heal its wounds, but still suffers 
from insufficient health services and a lack of food.  The 
international community is sending condolences and promises 
of assistance.  When Iran experienced the terrible 
earthquake in Bam that claimed 30,000 lives, the 
international community promised a billion dollars in aid, 
but in the end only 17 million dollars was given.  Oddly 
enough, when it comes to arms, billions are spent without 
any hesitation." 
 
"Who is next? 
Erdal Safak commented in the mass appeal "Sabah" (12/28): 
"Yushchenko has declared victory, and this has brought the 
hopes of Yanukovic to an end.  The same goes for Putin, who 
strongly supported Yanukovic.  The election victory for 
Yushchenko is like a Christmas gift for Europe, but it may 
be somewhat of a poisoned chalice.  The supporters of 
Yushchenko, including Poland, Lithuania, and Italy, have 
started pushing the EU for a promise of membership for 
Ukraine.  Brussels does not seem ready to deal with the 
accession of Ukraine to the EU for fear of a backlash in 
Russia. . Close ties between Ukraine and the EU also remind 
us of the fact that Russia is losing ground.  We first saw 
this in Serbia, then in Georgia and and now Ukraine.  But 
this won't be the last." 
 
"The Cyprus-Iraq Connection" 
Cengiz Candar wrote in the conservative "DB Tercuman" 
(12/28):  "In recent days, CHP leader Deniz Baykal has 
described the most important `formula' for putting the 
Cyprus issue on the road to a solution and taking away the 
`diplomatic cards' that could be played by Greek Cypriot 
leader Tassos Papadapoulos.  Baykal gave clues to the most 
realistic way out of the Cyprus deadlock.  He noted that the 
US could be very influential in this process. `Let the 
Americans send a ship from the sixth fleet to a port in 
north Cyprus, and let them fly planes directly to Ercan 
Airport - then the Greek Cypriots will understand how 
serious the situation is,' he said.  Baykal is 100 percent 
right.  But this assumes that Turkish and American foreign 
policy are held on the same wavelength.  Otherwise, official 
calls for help from Turkey may be met in Washington with 
nothing more than raised eyebrows.  Yasemin Congar laid this 
out in yesterday's "Milliyet," when she described how some 
US officials believe that Turkish public opinion has been 
`poisoned' against the United States through anti-US 
statements on issues ranging from Tal Afar to Fallujah to 
the attack against Turkish security personnel in Mosul.  The 
AKP needs to clarify its policy.  If it is going to stake 
out anti-American positions on Iraq together with Iran and 
Syria, it won't be able to develop a joint position with the 
EU and the US on the Cyprus issue.  The AKP must define its 
priorities.  If the priority is to start EU accession talks 
on October 3, 2005, and, within that framework, to launch a 
new Cyprus initiative, then other aspects of foreign policy 
must be made consistent with that goal.  The government will 
not be able to pull out what it needs on the Cyprus issue by 
continuing its anti-American trend on Iraq." 
 
DEUTSCH