US embassy cable - 05ANKARA270

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000270 
 
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 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Election Warning From Turkmen in Iraq - Hurriyet 
Turkish Businessman Abducted in Iraq - Milliyet 
DEHAP Congress Turned to PKK Congress  - Sabah 
Kurds' Kirkuk Plot - Turkiye 
Ocalan Posters at DEHAP Congress - Star 
PKK Forms New Party to Participate in Iraqi Elections - 
Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
NYT: "No WMDs in Iraq" - Radikal 
Iraqi Turkmen Decry 72,000 Kurds Imported to Kirkuk for 
Elections - Radikal 
Turks Are the Target in Iraq - Cumhuriyet 
No Changes in DEHAP - Cumhuriyet 
US Warns Russia on Missile Sale to Syria - Cumhuriyet 
US Wants Incirlik for Charter Cargo Planes - Cumhuriyet 
Bush Defends Iraq Occupation - Yeni Safak 
PKK Crisis Prior to Iraqi Elections - Yeni Safak 
Missile Warning to Russia From US and Israel - Zaman 
 
BRIEFING 
 
PKK to Participate in Iraqi Elections:  "Aksam" reports that 
the PKK is preparing to run in the Iraq elections under two 
different names: the Kurdistan Democratic Solution Party and 
the Iraqi Democratic Restructuring Party.  During the 
trilateral meeting in Ankara this week, Turkey asked Iraqi 
and US officials to ban the participation of the two 
parties.  However, Iraqi officials rejected the request, 
saying there is no concrete evidence of a link between the 
PKK and these two parties.  Meanwhile, "Hurriyet," 
"Radikal," and "Turkiye" highlight the worries of the Iraqi 
Turkmen in Kirkuk.  According to claims made by the Iraqi 
Turkmen Front (ITF), Barzani and Talabani have brought 
72,000 Kurds from Syria and Iran and registered on voter 
lists in Kirkuk in order to outnumber Turkmen population 
there.  A statement issued by the ITF representative in 
Ankara said that if the Kurds and the Iraqi Election 
Commission continue to tinker with the rules of the 
elections to allow more Kurds to participate, the ITF would 
`reconsider its decision' to participate in the elction. 
 
US Wants Incirlik for Charter Cargo Planes:  "Cumhuriyet" 
reports that during his visit to Ankara, General Abizaid 
asked Turkey for Incirlik to be used for civilian charter 
cargo planes.  Reportedly, the cargo planes would carry 
logistical support material and equipment to Incirlik.  The 
cargo would then be reloaded into military planes and 
transported to Iraq or Afghanistan. 
 
Turkish Businessman Kidnapped, Driver Killed in Iraq: 
Abdulkadir anrikulu, a Turkish businessman, was kidnapped 
from his Baghdad hotel room yesterday by unknown gunmen. 
Six Iraqis were killed in the abduction.  Tanrikulu's 
company had reportedly been doing business with US forces in 
Iraq.  Meanwhile, "Cumhuriyet" reports that another Turkish 
truck driver was killed yesterday in Iraq, this time in the 
city of Samarra. 
 
DEHAP Congress:  Most papers report on the convention of the 
pro-Kurdish party DEHAP that was held in Ankara yesterday. 
The delegates did not sing the National Anthem at the 
opening ceremony, even though this was a legal requirement. 
Posters of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan and PKK flags 
were prominently displayed  in the convention hall.  Tuncer 
Bakirhan was re-elected as DEHAP party leader.  Former DEP 
deputy Leyla Zana did not attend the congress due to an 
illness. 
 
Missile Sale Warning to Russia:  "Cumhuriyet" and "Zaman 
report that the US has issued a warning to Russia that 
sanctions would be implemented against Russia if the 
Russians carry through on a proposed sale of SS-26 missiles 
to Syria. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: 
 
-- Iraq 
-- Tsunami Relief 
 
 
"Turkey Supports the Iraqi Resistance, and US Supports the 
PKK" 
Erhan Basyurt observed in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" 
(1/14): "Iraq has become an arena of conflict between the US 
and Turkey.  There is a mutual mistrust.  Turkey has many 
fears about US activities in Iraq, such as the division of 
the country, Kurdish independence, or a political dialogue 
between the PKK and American officials in northern Iraq.  . 
The US, on the other hand, has fears about Turkey as well. 
For instance, in the latest issue of "Foreign Affairs," a 
prestigious US publication, there is an editorial by Edward 
N. Luttwak, who accuses Turkey of providing weapons to 
Turkmen resistance groups.  The article also implies that 
Turkey is supporting the resistance in Tal Afar. . The fact 
is that the US needs Turkey for a stable Iraq.  Turkey's 
contribution to the Afghanistan process is a clear example. 
Turkey also needs the US to pursue its regional policies 
aimed at achieving peace and stability in Iraq and elsewhere 
in the region.  This can only be made possible by 
establishing harmony with the US.  Both the US and Turkey 
should start to heal their broken bilateral ties, starting 
with the primary bone of contention -- Iraq.  Neither side 
should allow Iraq to be an area of insecurity that feed 
suspicions and preconceived judgments." 
 
"It's Not too Late" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (1/14): 
"Turkey so far has collected 9 million dollars for the 
tsunami victims in South Asia.  6 million of those dollars 
 
SIPDIS 
have been pledged by the government.  Such an insignificant 
figure is not going to put Turkey's name even close to the 
list of world donors.  Turkey had a serious earthquake, and 
its psychological effects are still seen in many people.  So 
it is very hard to understand the ignorance in Turkey 
regarding the tsunami disaster.  . It is still not too late. 
Turkey should continue the tsunami relief campaign and see 
its name listed among the world contributors.  This is not 
an attempt to promote Turkey, but rather to prove Turkey's 
international cooperation and solidarity.  It is not a 
matter of money.  It is about Turkey's responsibility within 
the international community." 
 
EDELMAN