US embassy cable - 05ANKARA683

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000683 
 
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, FEBRUARY 4, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Rice, Lavrov to outline Bush-Putin summit in Ankara - 
Hurriyet 
Talabani officially announces candidacy for top Iraq posts - 
Sabah 
Talabani warns against Turkish intervention in Iraq - 
Milliyet 
Greek Cypriot youth want two separate states in Cyprus - 
Hurriyet 
`Sheriff' Bush points to Iran, Syria - Sabah 
Iran refuses to stop nuclear program - Sabah 
Israel to pull out of 5 Palestinian towns - Aksam 
Basayev prepares for Beslan-type attack - Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Barzani: Turkey cannot declare Kirkuk its `red line' - Zaman 
Talabani eyes Iraq presidency - Zaman 
Kurds want Iraq presidency, independence to follow - 
Cumhuriyet 
Barzani: A Kurdish state is inevitable - Radikal 
Shiite coalition leads in 6 provinces in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Bush calls on Iranians to revolt against their government - 
Zaman 
Bush labels Iran number 1 terror supporter - Radikal 
Hamanei: US will not be able to topple us - Yeni Safak 
Bush threatens Tehran, Damascus again - Cumhuriyet 
Palestine, Israel may agree to cease fire at Egypt summit - 
Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Secretary Rice Due In Ankara:  US Secretary of State 
 
SIPDIS 
Condoleezza Rice is to arrive in Ankara over the weekend in 
an effort to allay Turkish fears that an independent Kurdish 
state is taking shape in Iraq, Turkish papers report.  Her 
tight schedule includes 11 cities in 7 days, and has obliged 
Rice to meet with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in 
Ankara.  The two secretaries will discuss Iraq, Iran's 
nuclear program, Syria, south Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh. 
The Turkish side will present Secretary Rice with two 
reports by Turkish military intelligence regarding 
developments in Iraq, "Aksam" writes.  The reports include 
Turkey's objections to the elections in Kirkuk, and a 
description of the activities of PKK/Kongra Gel militants in 
northern Iraq.  "Aksam" claims that FM Gul will hand the 
reports to Secretary Rice, and warn that Turkey will carry 
out its own measures in the spring if the US does not take 
`satisfactory' measures against the PKK soon.  Rice is 
scheduled to meet with Gul, Erdogan and President Sezer on 
Saturday and Sunday. 
 
Northern Iraqi Kurdish Leaders Warn Against Turkish 
Intervention:  According to information obtained by Ankara, 
some 110,000 Kurds flocked into Kirkuk to take part in the 
elections last week, "Hurriyet" reports.  The Iraqi Turkmen 
Front (ITF) reportedly will take documents to the Iraqi high 
election board as part of its official complaint.  Barzani 
and Talabani criticized recent remarks by Turkey's PM 
Erdogan, which the northern Iraqi Kurdish leaders regard as 
interference in Iraq's internal affairs.  `If Turks claim 
rights over Kirkuk, Arabs and Kurds here can do the same for 
Turkish provinces like Antakya and Diyarbakir,' Talabani 
reportedly said.  Barzani told CNN-Turk that a possible 
Turkish intervention in the region would bring 
`catastrophic' consequences. 
 
Ankara Will Not Object To Kurds In Top Iraqi Posts:  Turkey 
believes that if Kurdish politicians have senior roles in 
the new Iraqi administration, it will diminish their efforts 
to push for an independent Kurdish state, "Milliyet" 
reports.  Ankara will not object to the election results in 
Iraq, but will issue a statement to draw world attention to 
the changes made to the demography of Kirkuk.  The statement 
will urge that Kirkuk's autonomous status be preserved in 
the new Iraqi constitution.  Ankara expects Washington to 
push, to the extent possible, for a national coalition in 
Iraq, according to the paper.  Meanwhile, PUK leader 
Talabani has announced his candidacy for the post of 
president or prime minister in Iraq. 
 
EU Urges Ankara To Include Nicosia In EU Protocol:  The 
European Union Commission reportedly urged Turkey to sign 
the protocol expanding its Customs Union (CU) agreement with 
the Union in a way to include the Greek Cypriot 
administration by the end of February.  Meanwhile, PM 
Erdogan said to visiting French Parliament Speaker Jean- 
Louis Debre that Turkey would sign the protocol before 
October 3, 2005.  Northern Cypriot `PM' Mehmet Ali Talat 
pushed Ankara to sign the protocol without waiting until 
early October: `Such a signing will enable the EU to push 
Papadopoulos for a settlement in Cyprus.  This act by Ankara 
will not mean recognition, but rather a normalization of 
ties with south Cyprus,' Talat said, according to 
"Milliyet." 
 
`Horrible' Remarks From US General:  "Yeni Safak" carries 
comments by US General James N. Mattis, who was speaking to 
a forum in San Diego about strategies in the war in Iraq. 
General Mattis is an infantry officer who commanded Marines 
in both Afghanistan and Iraq.  `Actually, it's fun to 
fight,' he said.  `It's fun to shoot some people,' Mattis 
reportedly added.  Some 200 listeners were perplexed to hear 
such remarks from Mattis, "Yeni Safak" reports. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  The State of the Union Address 
 
"Bush Warns Iran and Syria" 
Yasemin Congar wrote from Washington in the mass appeal 
"Milliyet" (2/4): "President Bush made an open call for 
democracy to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and urged the Iranian 
and Syrian governments to stop supporting terrorism.  Bush 
wants to see Damascus end its support for terrorism and pave 
the way toward freedoms.  Bush also sent a very determined 
message to Tehran, warning the Iranians on the terrorism 
issue and about their nuclear arms activities.  The State of 
the Union focused on four messages.  First, Bush listed 
`target states' within the framework of the Broader Middle 
East and the fight against terrorism.  Second, he announced 
that there would be no withdrawal from Iraq until Iraqi 
security forces are fully in charge.  Third, he signaled 
more diplomatic and financial assistance for the 
Palestinians.  Finally, he called for more efforts on 
democratization by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, countries that 
until now have been treated as close friends of the US." 
 
"The Sheriff Points at Iran and Syria" 
The mass appeal daily "Sabah" carried this (2/4): "President 
Bush dedicated the State of the Union to the issue of the 
expansion of freedom and democracy.  He declared Iran to be 
the prime supporter of terrorism, while making a plea for 
Egypt to accelerate the democratization process.  The tone 
of President Bush's speech was no different from recent 
statements by other high level American officials.  Like 
them, President Bush once again took a harsh and accusatory 
tone toward Iran and Syria.  His speech will undoubtedly 
fuel ongoing speculation about the possibility that Iran and 
Syria will be the new American targets." 
"Bush Threatened Again" 
Leftist-nationalist "Cumhuriyet" carried the following 
(2/4):  "US President George W. Bush, for the sake of peace 
in the broader Middle East, openly targeted Iran and Syria, 
and said that the US will fight against countries that 
insist on producing WMDs and who shelter terrorists.  In his 
annual State of the Union Address, President Bush 
highlighted that advancing global freedom will make the US 
more secure, and openly warned Iran and Syria on this issue. 
Blasting Iran for its nuclear weapon programs and for 
supporting terrorists, and accusing Syria for allowing its 
territory and parts of Lebanon to be used by terrorists, 
President Bush reiterated that the US will strongly oppose 
these efforts.  Bush stated that he will not announce a date 
for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq." 
 
"Bush Pledges Iranians to Rebel" 
The Islamist-opinion maker "Yeni Safak" told its readers 
(2/4): "President Bush urged Iranians to rebel against the 
Tehran Government, warned Syria against sheltering 
terrorists, and criticized Egypt and Saudi Arabia for 
delaying democratic reforms in their countries.   After 
warning Iran and Syria about their activities, President 
Bush told the Iranian people `as you stand for your own 
liberty, America stands with you.'  His administration's 
commitment to advancing global freedom, particularly in the 
Middle East, is now being tested in Iraq.  `Our men and 
women in uniform are fighting terrorists in Iraq, so we do 
not have to face them here at home,' he said.  Bush 
continued: `the victory of freedom in Iraq will strengthen a 
new ally in the war on terror, inspire democratic reformers 
from Damascus to Tehran, bring more hope and progress to a 
troubled region, and lift a terrible threat from the lives 
of our children and grandchildren.'" 
 
EDELMAN