US embassy cable - 05ANKARA57

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 000057 
 
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, JANUARY 5, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
FM Gul's shuttle diplomacy -- Israel, Palestine, Syria - 
Aksam 
Arab press display interest in Gul visit to Israel - 
Hurriyet 
PM Erdogan says Turkey has no hidden designs on Mosul - 
Sabah 
Governor of Baghdad assassinated - Milliyet 
Sunnis want Iraqi elections postponed - Aksam 
Turkish Red Crescent takes $400,000 to tsunami victims - 
Hurriyet 
Oil-rich Arabs `stingy' in helping tsunami-stricken regions 
- Vatan 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
FM Gul: Turkey ready to contribute to efforts for Middle 
East peace - Cumhuriyet 
Israel gives Gul bloody welcome: Israelis kill 7 in 
Palestine - Cumhuriyet 
Zarkawi's group kills governor of Baghdad - Radikal 
Another Turkish trucker killed in Iraq - Zaman 
Iraqi intelligence chief: 200,000 rebels fighting in Iraq - 
Cumhuriyet 
Israel kills 7 children - Yeni Safak 
Israeli tank fire kills 7 children - Radikal 
German official: Al-Qaeda has trained 70,000 militants - 
Cumhuriyet 
Bush to renew image: US increases aid for tsunami victims - 
Cumhuriyet 
16 Turks still missing in South Asia - Cumhuriyet 
Aceh is left to die - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
FM Gul in Israel:  Visiting Turkish FM Abdullah Gul met 
Israeli leaders Tuesday in an effort to repair strained ties 
between the two countries.  Gul carried with him a goodwill 
message from Syria.  Gul was received by President Moshe 
Katsav before meeting with FM Silvan Shalom, PM Ariel 
Sharon, and Labor party leader Shimon Peres.  `We need to 
put all the tension behind us, because there is a new 
atmosphere in the region," Gul said.  `Now is not the time 
to criticize.  We must look at positive things,' Gul told 
Israel's "Haaretz" daily in an interview published on 
Tuesday.  `In my estimation, the Syrians are serious and 
their intentions are good,' Gul told "Haaretz," adding that 
`they want to take part in the peace process, they are ready 
to resume talks without preconditions, and they expect a 
positive Israeli response.'  Papers report that the Israelis 
gave a cool response to the Turks' proposal for mediation, 
urging Turkey to first help in bringing an end to terrorism 
supported by Syria and Palestinians.  The Israeli side also 
reportedly rejected the idea of short-term talks with Syria, 
preferring instead to concentrate efforts on the 
`Palestinian track.'  The Israeli side ecouraged Turkey to 
play an active role in Gaza following the planned withdrawl 
by Israeli forces.  According to "Sabah," the Turkish role 
could include training, reconstruction, political and 
security reforms, and participation in a local peacekeeping 
force.  In a joint news conference with his Israeli 
counterpart, Gul said: `Bilateral relations with Israel are 
already very good.  Our trade volume has reached $2 
billion.'  Gul noted that Turkey is the second most popular 
destination in the world, drawing about 300,000 tourists 
last year.  `The friendship between the two countries is 
solid,' Gul said.  Gul was accompanied on his trip by a 
large delegation of Turkish businessmen and lawmakers.  On 
Wednesday, Gul will meet with Palestinian leaders, including 
FM Nabil Shaath, PM Ahmed Qorei and Palestine Liberation 
Organization (PLO) leader Mahmud Abbas, who is widely 
expected to win next Sunday's presidential election.  The 
FM's visit to Israel is expected to pave the way for a visit 
to the region by PM Erdogan later in the year.  Meanwhile, 
Islamist-oriented  "Zaman" reports State Department 
Spokesman Adam Ereli's comments calling for Turkey to 
contribute to ensuring the end of attacks by terrorist 
groups operating in areas under Palestinian control. 
 
US-Turkey-Iraq security meeting to take place in Ankara:  US 
State Department Undersecretary William Burns told Turkish 
officials during his recent visit that there are  options 
other than a military operation that could diminish the PKK 
terrorist threat in Iraq, "Cumhuriyet" reports.  Turkish, 
American and Iraqi officials are to meet in Ankara January 
11 to discuss ways to address the terrorist presence in 
northern Iraq.  A large US delegation is expected to visit 
Ankara for the meetings next week, according to 
"Cumhuriyet." 
 
Turkish truck driver killed in Iraq:  A Turkish truck driver 
was killed in an ambush north of Baghdad on Tuesday, papers 
report.  The Turkish trucker, whose identity was not 
immediately available, was reportedly working under contract 
with the US military.  Thus far, 79 Turks have lost their 
lives in Iraq in ambushes or at the hands of hostage takers. 
 
Possible Cabinet Revision:  The press continues to circulate 
reports that PM Erdogan intends to shuffle his cabinet, 
perhaps even as early as today.  "Cumhuriyet" speculates 
that four ministers, including Defense Minister Gonul, could 
leave the Cabinet, and at least 2-3 other ministers could 
switch positions.  Some predict that the Prime Minister will 
present a new Cabinet list to President Sezer in a meeting 
scheduled to take place this afternoon at the Presidential 
Palace. 
 
New Turkish penal code brings jail terms for politicians 
speaking in Kurdish:  Recent amendments to the Turkish Penal 
Code (TCK), which were enacted swiftly before the EU summit 
in December, include a provision that carries a prison 
sentence of up to 20 years for politicians who speak in 
Kurdish during election campaigns, "Cumhuriyet" claims. 
Some articles in the new penal code constitute a violation 
of the European Convention on Human Rights, according to the 
report. 
 
Debates on a presidential regime for Turkey:  The ruling AK 
Party has come under fire in the press for backing a shift 
to a semi-presidential form of government.  "Cumhuriyet" 
quotes critics of the proposal, who say that such a system 
could bring a more authoritarian form of government to 
Turkey. 
 
US Embassy in Sofia `saves' fugitive Turkish businessman: 
Turkish police are expected to demand from Bulgaria the 
extradition of Yahya Murat Demirel, a Turkish businessman 
who had been on trial for embezzlement.  Demirel, who lives 
under a travel ban because of his ongoing court case, was 
detained in Bulgaria over the weekend for illegally entering 
the country.  Islamist-oriented "Yeni Safak" claims that the 
US Embassy in Sofia intervened to secure the release of 
Demirel's wife, Aysenur Esenler, who is allegedly a US 
citizen. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
?    US-Turkish Relations 
?    The US and Tsunami Relief 
?    The Ukraine Election 
"Adjustments and Common Interests With the US" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (01/05): 
"Turkey-US relations need to be adjusted based on the two 
countries' common interests.  We should be aware that Turkey 
and the US are currently not on the same frequency.  In 
fact, they're not even close to each other as they were 
during the Cold War.  New problems surfaced (the Kurdish 
establishment in Northern Iraq, the continued PKK presence, 
for example) that pushed Turkey and the US apart.  How could 
the needed adjustments be made?  There needs to be dialogue, 
of course. But first, both sides should consider some basic 
points.  The US should accept the fact that many things have 
changed in Turkey.  These changes include Ankara's 
unhappiness with US policies, as expressed at the official 
level, and the spread of Anti-American feeling among the 
Turkish people.  Turkey should accept the reality of US 
interest and activity in this region and try to solve 
problems with the US as an ally rather than by showing its 
constant displeasure.  The visit of the US Deputy Secretary 
of State to Ankara can be considered as a step on this path. 
Although no concrete result came out of the visit, but the 
decision to continue to meet and discuss gives us hope that 
a new process - that will be based on common interests -- is 
on the way." 
 
"The Tsunami is more Photogenic than Fallujah" 
Meral Tamer wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (01/05): 
"The numbers roll across the bottom of the screen - 94,102 
dead in Indonesia, 29,729 dead in Sri Lanka, 9,479 dead in 
India, 5,187 dead in Thailand.  And constantly we are told 
that the numbers can always go higher!  In recent days there 
has been a rush for TV ratings in coverage of the tsunami. 
Television around the world continues to show the same 
images -- the bloated bodies, the dead boy wedged up against 
orange crates.If someone is looking for swollen bodies, we 
have more than we could possibly want in Fallujah - bodies 
that lay in the streets like that for weeks.  But Fallujah 
isn't as photogenic as South Asia.  It doesn't give good 
pictures.  Even their outfits aren't as colorful as they are 
in Asia - so monotonous and dreary!  And what can we say 
about the assistance comedy?  The US administration, after a 
9.0 earthquake, managed to collect 1 million dollars in 
private donations.  How quickly has it been forgotten that 
13 billion dollars were sent to the state of Florida 
following the three hurricanes that struck there last year? 
After pressure from the UN and international aid 
organizations, the Bush Administration announced that it 
would raise its assistance to 15 million, then to 35 million 
dollars.  Then the braintrust of the Bush administration got 
a bright idea.  According to an article in "The New York 
Times," the US now thinks that, thanks to the tsunami, it 
may be able to repair the negative and shocking images it 
has created for itself in Iraq.  The US Administration, by 
leaving the UN out, could perhaps form a South Asia 
Assistance Team and, through an effort similar to the 
Marshall Plan, regain some of its lost prestige.  So the 
Bush Administration started throwing money around, raising 
its assistance contribution to 350 million dollars.  In 
coming days, I won't be surprised to see on my television 
screen the image of tender-hearted American soldiers 
lowering assistance packages to victims.  Be prepared for TV 
images of US soldiers springing out of the American naval 
fleet to bandage the wounded and give milk to little babies, 
and for assistance packages with US flags to be dropped from 
US planes.  We're in the media age!  Images are everything! 
Looking at it from the humanitarian perspective, in this 
kind of universal disaster that calls for a blank check for 
unlimited assistance, the two-facedness of the `civilized' 
human being has come out immediately.  There were even those 
who were inconvenienced by the fact that this natural 
disaster fell during the New Year's holiday. Because US 
President Bush and his sidekick, Tony Blair, were on 
holiday, they were only able to comprehend the situation 
after a delay of 3 days." 
 
"A Troublesome Election" 
Zafer Atay commented in the economic-political "Dunya" 
(01/05):  "Moscow has not yet let go of Ukraine, even though 
it has been an independent country for more than 10 years. 
The reasons for this are obvious.  Ukraine has valuable 
resources for Russia, especially in the energy sector. 
Eighty percent of the natural gas Moscow sells to Europe, 
including to Turkey, is transported through Ukraine.  So 
far, all governments in Ukraine have managed to maintain 
good relations with Russia.  Yushchenko also kept these good 
relations with Russia during his time in the Ukrainian 
government.  Sensing the public resentment against Russia, 
however, during the presidential campaign Yushchenko 
promised to move Ukraine closer to the west and to apply for 
NATO and EU membership.  Naturally, this stance has angered 
the Kremlin.  There was even an attempt to kill Yushchenko 
by poisoning him.  In short, Russia, which has already lost 
many of its former republics to NATO and the EU, does not 
want to lose Ukraine as well.  In order to melt the ice with 
Russia, Yushchenko has announced that his first official 
visit after he is sworn in will be to Moscow.  But even this 
announcement has not managed to  soften up Putin." 
 
EDELMAN