US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1037

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001037 
 
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 25, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Assad Urges Bush to Dialogue With Syria - Hurriyet 
Ankara Envoy Calls on Talabani - Turkiye 
Bush, Putin Enter Into Democracy `Polemic' in Bratislava - 
Hurriyet 
Scott Ritter Claims US Will Strike Iran in June - Sabah 
Cabinet of Technocrats in Power in Palestine - Sabah 
Arafat Supporters Eliminated, Israel Happy - Milliyet 
Sharon: Withdrawal Has Been the Toughest Decision in My Life 
- Sabah 
Damascus Says Will Withdraw Troops From Lebanon - Milliyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Ankara Holds Contact With Talabani - Cumhuriyet 
Turkish-American Partnership in the Caucasus - Yeni Safak 
Bush, Putin Issue Joint Warning For Iran - Cumhuriyet 
A `Cold' Day in Slovakia - Radikal 
Kurds Want Kirkuk for Supporting the Shiite in Iraq - Zaman 
Syria Takes Historic Step Back on Lebanon - Zaman 
Iran Opposes US in Nuclear Talks With EU - Yeni Safak 
ECHR Convicts Russia For Chechnya Operations - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Syrian President Wants Dialogue with US:  Syrian President 
Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with leading Turkish 
dailies "Hurriyet" and "Milliyet" in Damascus, invited 
President Bush to come and discuss problems in their 
bilateral relations.  Assad complained that Syrian efforts 
at communication with the US had been left unanswered.  `The 
peace process has stopped.  Turkey's efforts to restart the 
process are blocked by some,' Assad said.  He held Israel 
responsible for the deterioration in US-Syria ties.  `The 
US, a superpower, does not need to use military force to 
become a global leader; it can do so by using its 
technological and economic power,' he said.  He also blamed 
the US for pursuing its own interests and ignoring others' 
needs with regard to the Middle East peace process and Iraq 
issues: `That is the main reason why US is losing esteem and 
political power,' he said.  Assad stressed Syria's desire 
for dialogue with the US on security issues. `We are seeking 
dialogue, but failed to establish it with any focus in 
America,' he said. 
 
Turkish Delegation Visits Talabani in Northern Iraq: 
Turkey's special Iraq envoy Osman Koruturk, accompanied by 
senior MFA and TGS officials, met on Thursday with the 
northern Iraqi PUK leader Jalal Talabani in Dokan, 
Suleymaniye.  Koruturk conveyed a message from PM Erdogan 
which assured Talabani that Ankara's support would continue 
as long as Turkey's sensitivities are respected, papers say. 
Talabani said Iraq's integrity would be protected, PKK 
terror activities would be blocked, and Iraq would not be 
allowed to become an Islamic state.  The status of Kirkuk 
will be determined through dialogue with all ethnic groups 
living in the city, Talabani reportedly said. 
 
US-Turkey `Eurasia Consultative Forum':  Turkey and the US 
have agreed to establish a permanent `consultative forum' 
for Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia, papers report. 
MFA Russia-Caucasus desk chief Halil Akinci discussed with 
DAS Laura Kennedy the situation in Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh 
and Armenia in Washington.  The State Department regards the 
talks as part of the strategic dialogue between the US and 
Turkey, says "Turkiye."  The Turkish side has invited the 
Americans to Turkey for the next round of talks.  Papers 
also report that MFA U/S Ali Tuygan will visit Washington in 
late March. 
 
Resignations From Ruling and Opposition Parties:  Mehmet 
Eraslan, deputy for the province of Hatay, quit the ruling 
AKP over `discomfort' with the party's Islamist roots. 
Zulfu Livaneli resigned from the main opposition CHP, saying 
the party had become undemocratic and resistant to change. 
Thursday's resignations follow last week's defection from 
the AKP of Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu; another 
AKP deputy quit the party on Monday.  Papers predict more 
resignations to come, and some expect Erdogan to call early 
elections this year to boost his majority.  AKP still 
commands a large majority, with 364 of 550 seats. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Transatlantic Relations 
 
"A Cowboy is Needed" 
Mim Kemal Oke argued in the conservative-sensational "HO 
Tercuman" (2/25): "Despite US statements which claim 
otherwise, the obvious facts indicate serious American 
involvement with the Conflict of Civilizations concept.  It 
is also a fact that the current US method of fighting 
against global religious terrorism is itself shaped by a 
religious motivation-evangelism.  The current US mentality 
suggests settling international issues with guns, just like 
in the old-fashioned western. Turkey wants to see democracy 
flourishing, not only in the Middle East but in all Islamic 
countries.  However, Turkey stands against this method of 
achieving the goal.  Freedom and independence are two 
indispensable values, but you just cannot impose them on 
others by occupation or using force.  If Bush is looking for 
a cowboy for his Texas ranch instead of a strategic partner, 
there is no place for Ankara in such a picture." 
 
"The Aftermath of NATO Summit" 
Ferai Tinc observed in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (2/25): 
"The summit in Brussels paved the way for an active 
involvement of NATO in the process of rebuilding Iraq. 
Decisions during the Brussels meeting also indicate a US 
strategy to pull out from Iraq.  The NATO role in Iraq was 
brought up last year, and at that time Washington was very 
aloof toward this approach.  Yet this time things have 
changed and NATO is to be in charge of many important parts 
of the rebuilding of Iraq.  NATO officials credit the Iraqi 
elections as the main reason for the policy change." 
 
"A Notorious Report" 
Erhan Basyurt commented in the Islamist-intellectual "Zaman" 
(2/25):  "Douglas Feith and Richard Perle prepared an 
important report in 1996.  Entitled `A Clean Break: A New 
Strategy for State Security,' the report prepared for then- 
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu contained some 
very serious suggestions:  cancel the Oslo Peace Process; 
consider Arafat's alternatives in Palestine; for the sake of 
Israel's security, Syria should be invaded with support of 
Turkey and Jordan; Saddam's regime in Iraq should be 
toppled; Syria's stability should be disturbed so that Syria 
wouldn't pose a threat for Israel.  This report explains the 
reason for Feith and his team becoming so anti-Turkey 
recently.  Turkey did not give the expected support to the 
US during the Iraq war.  Turkey's policies toward Syria and 
Iran do not match the US policies.  Its military relations 
with Israel are greatly weakened.  Feith and his team 
believe that the source of these changes is the AKP's 
Islamic policies and the Turkish military's being left out 
of decision making.   In short, their notorious 1996 report 
belies a single-minded understanding.  AKP should explain 
its policies to its American friends one more time. 
Otherwise the process will be very painful for AKP, as well. 
As a matter of fact, it is not that difficult to bring US- 
Turkey relations back to a `strategic partnership' level. 
All that is needed is a further step from the US:  A joint 
operation against the PKK could be the right key to unlock 
the door." 
 
EDELMAN