US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1702

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 001702 
 
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 
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Kurds to Be Given Iraqi Oil and Foreign Ministries - Aksam 
Kurds Want Turkmen Out of Iraq Administration - Hurriyet 
Greek F-16s Harass Turkish Jetfighters Over Aegean - 
Milliyet 
Kemal Dervis is Annan's Nominee for UNDP - Aksam 
World Bank Expects No New Crisis in Turkey - Milliyet 
Kyrgyz Uprising May Turn Into Civil War - Sabah 
School Massacre in US - Turkiye 
Feeding Tube Removed From Schiavo - Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Iraqi Shiite Leader Issues Warm Messages for Ankara - 
Radikal 
Shiites, Kurds to Compromise in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Centrist Parties in Europe Shift to Anti-Islam - Zaman 
Tulkarim Under Palestinian Control - Cumhuriyet 
Arab League Calls on Israel to Compromise - Cumhuriyet 
Iran Insists on Nuclear Program - Cumhuriyet 
Thousands of Chechens Missing Under Detention - Yeni Safak 
Annan Warns Against Rising Racist Terror - Yeni Safak 
High-School Frenzy in US - Radikal 
Kyrgyz Unrest Continues - Radikal 
Kazakhstan Expects Turkeys' Support for `Central Asian 
Union' - Zaman 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Military, Government Condemn Attempts to Burn Turkish Flag: 
The Turkish military and government leaders condemned the 
burning of the Turkish flag by Kurdish protesters in 
Turkey's southern port city of Mersin on Sunday during 
celebrations of the Nevruz festival.  A group of Kurds 
chanted slogans for the release of PKK leader Abdullah 
Ocalan and attempted to burn the Turkish flag.  Six people 
were hurt in clashes with police and 18 others were 
arrested.  The Turkish General Staff (TGS) strongly 
condemned the action, calling it `traitorous': `This 
country's unity and the Turkish flag, a symbol of that 
unity, will never be left unprotected,' the TGS said in a 
written statement.  The military is losing patience and was 
`forced' to respond to the incident after the government had 
said nothing for two days, "Milliyet" comments.  PM Tayyip 
Erdogan said from Brussels where he was meeting with EU 
leaders that prosecutors had launched an investigation into 
the incident.  Former Democracy Party (DEP) lawmaker Leyla 
Zana also condemned the flag burning: `We have to show 
respect for the country's shared values.  The flag, for 
which lives are sacrificed, is the most important value,' 
Zana said.  Pro-Kurdish Democratic People's Party (DEHAP) 
Tuncer Bakirhan condemned the `provocation', and said the 
Turkish flag is the flag of the Kurds as well. 
 
Erdogan Attends EU Meetings in Brussels:  PM Tayyip Erdogan 
said after attending meetings of the European People's 
Parties (EPP) in Brussels that Turkey will keep its promise 
to sign the additional protocol of the Ankara Agreement 
which includes Cyprus in Turkey's customs union agreement 
with the EU.  Erdogan said he had discussed tourism and 
energy cooperation with Greek PM Karamanlis.  Erdogan also 
rejected criticism that Turkey has slowed its progress in 
the European reform process. 
 
OIC Ambassadors Pay `Secret' Visit to Turkish Cyprus:  The 
ambassadors of 8 countries of the Organization of Islamic 
Conference (OIC)  paid a discreet visit to northern Cyprus 
March 11-14 at the invitation of the Turkish Cypriot 
ambassador to Ankara, "Radikal" reports.  Envoys from 
Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Libya, 
Bangladesh and Afghanistan met with Turkish Cypriot leaders 
Mehmet Ali Talat and Serdar Denktas during their visit. 
Greece attempted to block the visit, and Nicosia sent 
protest notes to countries that allowed their envoys to 
visit the Turkish Cypriot statelet in the north. 
 
Denktas Says Will Leave Post Over Differences With AKP: 
Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas said he is leaving his 
post because of differences with Turkey's ruling AK Party, 
"Milliyet" writes.  Denktas said it is the first time he has 
not been in agreement with a Turkish government.  Denktas 
accused the Turkish government of being `insensitive' to the 
Turkish people's feelings about Cyprus, and noted that he 
would establish a civilian organization in north Cyprus to 
unite Turks. 
 
Iraqi Shiite Leader in Turkey:  Ammar al-Hakim, son of the 
Iraqi Shiite leader Abdulaziz al-Hakim (SCIRI) said that an 
Iraqi government representing all sects and ethnicities in 
the country will deal a serious blow to terrorism.  Hakim 
came to Istanbul as the guest of the Turkish Foreign 
Ministry.  He told a press conference on Tuesday that the 
Kirkuk question will be discussed in the new Iraqi 
parliament.  `We are against the forceful deportation of 
people from Kirkuk,' Hakim stressed.  He said that PUK 
leader Talabani is a `strong candidate' for Iraq president. 
Hakim said that the Americans' pledge to leave Iraq is 
ambiguous, since `we don't know when security will be 
achieved' in the country.  Hakim added that Iraqi officials 
should have the final say on this issue.  Hakim criticized 
the killing of women and children by insurgents `who claim 
to be acting in the name of Islam.'  `Celebrations by some 
groups after deadly attacks do not display the real 
character of Muslims,' Hakim emphasized.  He claimed that 
such attacks are intended to increase tension between the 
Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq, and also help to extend the 
presence of foreign troops.  Hakim slammed some of Iraq's 
neighbors for remaining silent in the face of terrorist 
attacks.  `Iraq is in a very difficult position,' Hakim 
noted, and he urged Turkey to do all it can to help the 
Iraqis. 
 
Dervis a Candidate for UNDP Administrator:  Candidates from 
Kuwait, Britain, Turkey, Japan, Norway and the Netherlands 
are in the running to head the UN Development Program 
(UNDP), the UN's largest agency with an annual budget of 
nearly $3 billion, papers report.  The candidate from Turkey 
is Kemal Dervis, a member of parliament, a former minister 
of economic affairs, and a former World Bank vice president. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq's Second Anniversary; EU 
Constitution 
 
"Scenes From An Occupation" 
Mete Cubukcu commented in the leftist "Birgun" (3/23): "Iraq 
does not present us with a promising picture on the second 
anniversary of the occupation.  The cost has been more than 
100,000 deaths and over 300 billion dollars.  And today, 
Iraq continues to suffer from a lack of fuel and unbearable 
daily shortages, as well as from the ongoing resistance. 
This is one side of the picture.  On the other side, there 
is an election process that was hailed as a big achievement 
even though nobody has yet figured how the voting took 
place.  There is ongoing bargaining about the composition of 
the new administration, as religious fundamentalist Shiites 
try to reach a deal with the Kurds, who advocate a kind of 
federalism.  In sum, neither the Americans nor the Iraqis 
are happy on the second anniversary of the occupation. 
Because of all the chaos and uncertainty, the people of Iraq 
are struggling to survive and are forced to focus on meeting 
their daily needs rather than thinking about policies for 
the future of the country." 
 
"France is Determined to Say No" 
Kamuran Ozbir wrote in the nationalist "Ortadogu" (3/23): 
"The possibility that France could reject European 
Constitution has the potential to create a real earthquake 
in the EU.  In this sense, the vote in France will be more 
important than similar referenda to be held in other EU 
countries.  France is still the champion of the European 
ideal as well as the driving force behind the union.  If 
French voters prefer to say no to this constitution, a 
disastrous effect will be seen both in French domestic 
politics and in the EU. . The issue has a very important 
`Turkey dimension' as well.  Those who advocate a vote 
against the European Constitution in France are raising the 
fear of Turkish EU membership to bolster their case.  Turkey 
has now become an object of fear in France.  The number of 
opponents of the constitution is on the rise partly because 
of the view that a  `no' to the constitution also means a 
`no' to Turkey." 
 
"Let Us Continue at Full Speed" 
Sami Kohen commented in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (3/23): 
"There have been recent claims that the AKP government has 
lost its enthusiasm for EU entry.  At least the signing of 
the additional protocol for Cyprus would allow the 
government to overcome this important problem. 
Nevertheless, it shouldn't be forgotten that the protocol 
has to be submitted to the Turkish Parliament for approval, 
and that there is no guarantee that the Parliament is going 
to support this agreement.  The issue has now become a 
serious concern for the government.  If we accept that there 
is stagnation on the part of the AKP government, the EU is 
partly to blame as well.  After the December 17 summit, EU 
leaders also seemed to lose their enthusiasm for Turkey's 
membership.  They do not want to bring Turkey's EU entry on 
to the agenda until the EU referendum in France in May.  EU 
officials who criticize Turkey for slowing down the process 
should also keep this in mind.  In any case, Turkey should 
continue to move toward the EU at full speed." 
 
DEUTSCH