US embassy cable - 05ANKARA496

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000496 
 
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 28, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
 
Condoleezza Rice Comes to Turkey - Sabah 
Attack Against Election Office in Iraq Kills 16 - Sabah 
Compensation Paid to `Armenian Genocide' Victims - Sabah 
Warning From Erdogan On Kirkuk - Hurriyet 
Genocide Compensation to Armenians from US Company - 
Hurriyet 
Letter from Edelman to Minister Ergezen on Gold Mine 
Operation - Milliyet 
Erdogan: "UN and US Will Pay the Bill for Mistakes in 
Kirkuk" - Milliyet 
The Bill for Kirkuk Will be Heavy - Turkiye 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
 
Turkey to Host `Strategic Guests' from US - Cumhuriyet 
Genocide Compensation - Cumhuriyet 
Warning from Erdogan on Kirkuk - Cumhuriyet 
`Golden' Letter from the US - Radikal 
Rice toVisit Turkey in February - Radikal 
Rice and Feith Come to Turkey for Iraq - Yeni Safak 
US Favors Kurds in Election - Yeni Safak 
Erdogan: "The Election in Iraq is not Democratic" - Zaman 
 
BRIEFING 
 
PM Erdogan's Warning About Kirkuk:  All papers cover the 
statement PM Erdogan made at a press conference before his 
departure to Davos.  Erdogan said that `the US and the UN 
should never allow the formation of unfavorable structures 
in Kirkuk.  If they turn a blind eye to such mistakes, they 
may have to pay a heavy price.'  Erdogan said that Turkish 
concerns about Kirkuk had been conveyed to all relevant 
officials, including President Bush.  Responding to 
questions by foreign journalists in Davos, Erdogan said that 
developments in Kirkuk are `not positive.'  `It would not be 
possible to characterize the upcoming election in Iraq as a 
fully democratic election,' Erdogan added.  "Turkiye" draws 
attention to the words of Foreign Minister Gul that `Turkey 
has conveyed its concerns to all concerned parties, and we 
hope that our warnings will be taken into consideration'. 
"Aksam" reports that Richard Boucher, the US State 
Department spokesman, said that `no one claims that these 
elections will be perfect, but they will be an important 
milestone on the road to democracy.' 
 
Rice and Feith Visits to Turkey:  Most papers report about 
upcoming visits to Turkey by Pentagon Undersecretary Feith 
and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.  "Cumhuriyet" 
speculates that Feith will convey the latest developments in 
the US global defense posture review.  "Hurriyet" says that 
undersecretary Feith is coming to Turkey to convey US 
concerns about Iran's nuclear program and to ask for more 
flexibility in the use of Incirlik air base.  "Cumhuriyet" 
refers to Rice and Feith as `strategic guests.' 
Soldier Killed in Alleged PKK Attack:  "Cumhuriyet" reports 
that a Turkish soldier was killed and a second was wounded 
when suspected PKK/KONGRA-GEL militants opened fire on a 
jandarma station in a rural area of Mardin province. 
 
Amb. Edelman Seeks Support for A Gold Producing US Company: 
"Milliyet" reports that Ambassador Edelman sent a letter in 
September 2004 to Public Works Minister Ergezen in 
connection with the activities of an American mining company 
in Turkey.  The production activities of the American 
company, `Normandy,' in the town of Ovacik had been 
suspended in 2004 by a court decision based on environmental 
concerns.  Ambassador Edelman's letter urged Minister 
Ergezen to advise the Izmir governor to reopen the mine. 
The company subsequently resumed operations. A ministry 
official said the issues surrounding the mine had been 
solved before the letter was received.  Local residents, 
however, complain that the process for the granting of 
permission for the operation had been accelerated as a 
result of `US presure.' 
 
Baykal Set to Retain CHP Leadership:  Most media predict 
that CHP Chairman Deniz Baykal will retain his leadership 
position in the party at the extraordinary party conference 
to be held this week in Ankara.  Baykal will face a 
challenge by Sisli Mayor Mustafa Sarigul, but most papers 
believe Baykal is comfortably ahead among voting delegates 
to the convention. 
 
American Insurance Company Pays Compensation to Armenians: 
"Sabah" reports that New York Life Insurance company paid 
$333,333 in compensation to each of five Armenian 
Foundations as part of a settlement with descendents of 
Armenians massacred in the `Armenian genocide' 90 years ago. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:   :  IRAQ ELECTIONS 
 
"Elections in Iraq: Dreams and Ghosts" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (1/28): 
"There are several reasons to be suspicious about the 
timing, legitimacy, and implementation of the upcoming 
elections in Iraq.  The country is under occupation, and the 
elections will be held under the shadow of coalition forces. 
Moreover an atmosphere of chaos and violence prevails in 
Iraq.  Voters are afraid of going near the election centers. 
In addition, the Sunnis have already declared a boycott in 
their region.  As Rami Khouri from Beirut's `Daily Star' 
newspaper aptly noted, the ongoing process in Iraq is like 
an election conducted by ghosts and invisible people.  . 
Realistically speaking, the elections in Iraq should be 
interpreted as an initial step toward normalization and the 
political reorganization process in Iraq rather than an 
indication of democracy.  Once the new parliament starts 
working on a new constitution and paves the way for a 
genuine election next year, Iraq will have a new political 
structure and a regime with greater legitimacy.  There are 
two indications that will show whether or not this is 
happening.  First of all, the US should establish a 
withdrawal plan and implement it as quickly as possible. 
Second, the security situation should be improved in Iraq. 
These goals will be extremely difficult to achieve.  They 
remain a dream, at least for the time being." 
 
"The Mafia Lie About the Iraq Elections" 
Mehmet Ocaktan argued in the Islamist-opinion maker "Yeni 
Safak" (1/28): "The massacre mafia, which made torture a 
routine practice under the pretext of democracy and freedom 
and has looted Iraq, is now working on a new phase of its 
plan.  The election on Sunday is going to be a new chapter 
of the occupation, and it is so dirty that not only Iraq, 
but the entire region is on the threshhold of eternal 
hatred.  The occupiers seem to have lost their senses 
completely.  The election ballots are being set up in cities 
that were, until recently, killing fields.  And we are asked 
to believe that this is proof of democracy.  Is it possible 
to build a democracy where thousands are tortured or 
assaulted and kept as prisoners in their own country?  Who 
can possibly believe in such a lie? . The transfer of 
authority to the people of Iraq is a lie to disguise the 
fact that the US is creating a CIA-linked puppet regime 
there.  The elections will be completely based on US 
interests.  The Sunnis are mostly out of the picture, and 
the results will likely bring a victory to the Kurds and 
Shiites. . Each new development in Iraq is a new alarming 
sign for Turkey.  The establishment of a US-sponsored 
Kurdish state in Kirkuk and Mosul is underway, and Turkey 
will eventually find itself in this fire.""EDELMAN