US embassy cable - 05ANKARA748

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 000748 
 
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, FEBRUARY 8, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Barzani says he won't give up Kirkuk - Sabah 
Kurds take second in Iraqi vote count - Milliyet 
Israel-Palestine summit to agree on cease-fire - Sabah 
Israel believes Abbas to be targeted by assassins - Aksam 
Rice assigns Gen. William Ward as coordinator for Palestine 
- Aksam 
US to become `very active' in the Middle East - Milliyet 
Greek Cypriots threaten to veto Turkey-EU talks over 
recognition issue - Hurriyet 
US women troops' `mud-wrestling' scandal in Iraq - Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Barzani openly claims right to Kirkuk - Cumhuriyet 
Barzani goes too far, threatens to `unite' Kurdistan - 
Cumhuriyet 
Sunnis speed up actions after Iraqi elections: 73 killed - 
Cumhuriyet 
Elections did not change Iraq: 65 killed in Baghdad, Mosul, 
Bakuba - Yeni Safak 
US melts ice with Palestine - Zaman 
Rice pledges $40 million to Palestine, assigns coordinator - 
Radikal 
Abbas, Sharon to agree on cease-fire - Zaman 
Israeli minister Ramon: Abbas will be assassinated - 
Cumhuriyet 
Rumsfeld acknowledges Iran nuclear bomb could take years - 
Yeni Safak 
US threatens Iran, develops new nuclear warheads at home - 
Radikal 
Sunday Times: Bush will strike Syria first, not Iran - Yeni 
Safak 
CIA delivers terror suspects to `contract' torturers - 
Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Barzani Says He Will Not Concede Kirkuk:  All Turkish papers 
cite an interview by Massoud Barzani posted on the "kerkuk- 
kurdistan.com" webpage in which the northern Iraqi Kurdish 
leader said the Iraqi elections had made clear the Kurdish 
identity of Kirkuk.  `We are not seeking to break off pieces 
of Turkey, Syria and Iran. We just want to unify our 
country, Kurdistan,' Barzani emphasized, adding: `It would 
be to the benefit of Turkey to extend a friendly hand to the 
Kurds.'  `No force on earth can make me give Kirkuk away,' 
the KDP leader stressed, adding that Kirkuk would remain 
within the borders of Kurdistan. 
 
President Sezer Warns Rice on Turkey's Secular Character: 
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer told visiting US Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice during her weekend visit that Turkey 
is a secular country and thus cannot be presented as a model 
of `moderate Islam' to other Muslim nations, "Cumhuriyet" 
reports.  `Turkey is a country with a Muslim majority, but 
it is not an Islamic country,' Sezer reportedly said to Rice 
during their meeting on Sunday.  `Democracy cannot be 
imposed on Middle East countries by outside forces,' he 
added.  Secretary Rice took note of Sezer's remarks, 
according to "Cumhuriyet." 
 
US, Turkey Decide to Reinvigorate Strategic Partnership: 
The Islamist-oriented "Yeni Safak," a paper close to the 
Turkish Government, reports that the US and Turkey have 
agreed to revitalize their `suspended' strategic partnership 
in the face of negative developments in Iraq.  Secretary 
Rice underlined that the two countries have common strategic 
goals and a long history of friendship.  The report claims 
that the during the Rice visit, US and Turkish officials 
agreed to `strategic cooperation' to protect Iraq's 
territorial integrity, to accelerate the struggle against 
terrorism, and to encourage change in the Islamic world. 
 
`US Congressmen Launch Working Group on Turkey':  US 
Congressmen led by Robert Wexler and Ed Whitfield will work 
with their Turkish counterparts to establish a 
`Congressional Working Group on Turkey' in an effort to 
promote Turkey more effectively in the US Congress.  Ruling 
AK Party lawmakers Egemen Bagis and Besir Hamidi, and Zeynep 
Damla Gurel from the opposition CHP will go to the US on 
Wednesday to meet with the American co-chairmen of the new 
grouping. 
 
PM Erdogan on Tour of Tsunami-hit South Asia:   Turkish PM 
Tayyip Erdogan, on a tour of south Asian countries affected 
by the recent tsunami, sought support from Indonesia for 
Turkish policy towards the divided island of Cyprus, asking 
Jakarta to help lift international sanctions against the 
Turkish Cypriot community.  Indonesian President Yudhoyoni 
pledged support for Cyprus, and for Turkey's membership in 
the UN Security Council.  The two leaders reportedly 
discussed the possibility of joint projects between Muslim 
clerics in both countries on issues such as Islam, 
democracy, and terrorism.  Erdogan subsequently proceeded to 
Malaysia. 
 
Time Not Right For Cyprus talks - Papadopoulos:  Greek 
Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos said on Monday that 
the time was `not yet right' for negotiations with Turkey on 
the reunification of Cyprus.  `We are ready for talks at any 
time, but conditions do not exist for these talks to lead to 
a constructive end,' Papadopoulos told a news conference on 
an official visit to Hungary.  Papadopoulos added he had 
asked UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to bring the two 
communities to the negotiating table. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  The Visit of Secretary Rice/Iraq 
 
"The Bells Are Still Ringing" 
Haluk Ulman commented in the economic-political "Dunya" 
(2/8): "The US President rushed to target Syria and Iran, 
even before getting a clear picture of Iraq election's 
outcome.  Iran is accused of developing nuclear weapons and 
supporting international terrorism.  Syria is also blamed 
for sheltering terrorists.  Unfortunately, Bush has no 
credibility on Iran and Syria, especially after the 
fabrications on the WMD issue in Iraq. . There are so many 
issues to sort out in Iraq, even after the questionable 
democratic elections.  It is too early to say that Iraq is 
on the right track after the election process.  The alarm 
bells are still ringing for a potential internal conflict in 
this country.  How can the Bush administration can turn a 
blind eye to these facts?  I think the Bush administration 
is aware of these problems.  That is why Turkey has been 
back in the spotlight, and the US is looking to increase 
Turkish-American cooperation.  Secretary Rumsfeld's recent 
statement should be interpreted as a warning.  Apparently, 
he wanted to warn Turkey not to repeat the same mistake as 
on March 1. .  The US is encouraging the Kurds in northern 
Iraq and turning a blind-eye to the presence of the PKK in 
this area.  But at the same time, the US is trying to ease 
Turkey's concerns by talking about preserving the 
territorial integrity of Iraq.  How can we possibly take 
such words seriously?" 
 
"The Reasons for the Anti-American Atmosphere" 
Sami Kohen observed in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (2/8): 
"In Turkey, the number of  people considering the US as an 
enemy increases with every passing day.  There are several 
reasons for this. The first and most important reason is the 
Turkish public's reaction against President Bush's policies. 
The image of George Bush has been turned into a stereotype 
that continuously incites anti-Americanism.  Second, there 
are some US actions that have disappointed the Turks very 
much, especially the Suleymaniye incident and the US 
unwillingness to deal with the PKK and the Kurds in Northern 
Iraq.  Such US actions are interpreted by many in the 
Turkish public as signs of hostile intent against Turkey. 
How can this be corrected?  First of all, one has to believe 
that good relations between the US and Turkey is in Turkey's 
interest, and that these relations can be improved through 
mutual understanding and dialogue.  Officials of both 
countries have a big responsibility to give the right 
messages to their people.  Having disagreements on certain 
issues does not justify spoiling the entire friendship and 
thereby limiting the potential for cooperation.  It is easy 
to spread anti-American feelings; but the more sensible 
thing is to act rationally." 
 
EDELMAN