US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1755

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001755 
 
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, MARCH 25, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Moderate Dictator Akayev Toppled in 3 Hours - Milliyet 
Civil Coup in Kyrgyzstan - Turkiye 
Tajikistan Is Next - Milliyet 
Vandals, Looters Out of Control in Kyrgyzstan - Hurriyet 
Ankara to Send Delegation to Bishkek - Milliyet 
Azerbaijan's Aliyev Releases Dissidents - Sabah 
US Historian McCarthy Gives `Genocide' Lecture - Sabah 
McCarthy: Armenian `Genocide' Turkey's Entrance Fee to EU - 
Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
AKP's Incirlik Airbase `Flirt' With US - Cumhuriyet 
Kyrgyz Opposition Topples Akayev - Radikal 
`Velvet Revolution' Spills to Central Asia - Zaman 
US-Supported Coup in Bishkek - Yeni Safak 
Ankara Wants `People's Will' to Prevail in Kyrgyzstan - 
Zaman 
EU Prefers Kiev to Ankara - Radikal 
Majority of Europeans Oppose Turkey in EU - Cumhuriyet 
Richard Perle Accused of Corruption - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
The Kyrgyz Uprising:  Turkish papers give extensive front- 
page coverage to the toppling of President Skar Akayev in 
Kyrgyzstan.  Dailies see the unrest in Kyrgyzstan as another 
link in the chain of popular uprisings in former Soviet 
republics.  Russia has lost another stronghold in the 
region, reports say.  Columnists regard poverty and 
oppression as the main factors that triggered the uprising, 
while some news stories hold the George Soros Foundation 
responsible for supporting the opposition in the country. 
Some commentators speculate that Armenia could be next on 
the list of countries facing popular uprisings.  The Turkish 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued a call for 
restraint to all groups in Kyrgyzstan.  Ankara will send a 
diplomatic delegation to Kyrgyzstan in an effort to ensure 
the safety of Turks there.  The MFA is preparing to evacuate 
some 300 Turkish nationals in Kyrgyzstan. 
 
Ankara Expected to Allow US Use of Incirlik Airbase: 
Several dailies today expect the Turkish government to 
respond before April 24 to a US request to use Incirlik 
Airbase as a logistical cargo hub for US operations in Iraq 
and Afghanistan.   In saying yes to the cargo hub, Ankara 
will also urge Washington to block recognition of Armenian 
`genocide' claims in the US Congress.  Ankara is also 
planning to secure the support of the Jewish lobby on the 
Armenian issue.  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is expected 
to announce soon an official visit to Palestine and Israel 
that will take place in early May.  "Cumhuriyet" says that 
the AKP government is planning to use the Incirlik issue to 
soften looming tensions with the US with regard to Syria and 
Iran.  The Turkish government and military oppose possible 
US use of Incirlik for air strikes against Iran and Syria, 
papers report.  Meanwhile, PM Erdogan has asked for an 
appointment with President Bush during a visit to the United 
States in May.  "Cumhuriyet" reports that FM Gul and 
Parliament Speaker Arince will also travel to the US in the 
coming months. 
 
Anti-Semitic Sentiment Influenced Ambassador Edelman's 
Resignation:  A senior US source is reported by "Vatan" as 
saying that growing anti-Semitism in Turkey influenced 
Ambassador Eric Edelman's decision to resign his post in 
Ankara.  The unidentified US diplomatic source said that 
Edelman had come to Ankara with very positive feelings about 
the country.  However, Edelman lost his enthusiasm for 
Turkey due to growing anti-Semitic sentiment in the country. 
The West has started paying attention some Islamist-oriented 
papers like "Yeni Safak," "Vakit," and "Milli Gazete" 
because these papers are supported by the ruling AK Party, 
the source said.  `The Turkish government supports anti- 
Semitic publications.  Excerpts from these papers are 
translated and sent to lawmakers in the United States and 
Europe,' he added.  The US source also stressed that the AKP 
has ignored warnings to exert more control of its deputies 
in parliament. 
 
US Diplomat Subject of Protest in Tunceli: US Deputy Consul 
in Adana, Alicia Allison, faced a protest in Tunceli 
province when she called on the city's mayor on Thursday, 
"Hurriyet" reports.  Several hundred protesters asked 
Allison to leave, and shouted slogans like `Killer US out of 
the Middle East.'  Allison said that such things can happen 
in democracies, and stressed that she supported the freedom 
to speak and to demonstrate. 
 
Ankara Expected to Initial EU Protocol:  Prime Minister 
Erdogan has asked his Greek counterpart Karamanlis for 
support against pressure from the EU to recognize the Greek 
Cypriot administration in Cyprus, "Cumhuriyet" reports, 
citing the Greek press.  The two leaders met over dinner in 
Brussels last week.  Karamanlis later told President 
Papadopoulos that Nicosia should be content with Ankara's 
initialing of its adaptation protocol with the EU, and 
should not press for the signing of the document which may 
amount to recognition of the Greek Cypriots by Turkey. 
Ankara will initial the protocol soon, but its approval in 
Turkish parliament is expected to take as much as one and a 
half year. 
 
Uzans Hold $200 Million in Swiss Banks:  Turkish business 
tycoon and Youth Party (GP) leader Cem Uzan apologized in a 
letter to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan for criticizing him 
during a political rally, "Vatan" reports.  Uzan wrote that 
he appreciated the AKP government's anti-corruption campaign 
and would like to discuss the situation of `Imar Bank,' 
which was seized last year by Turkey's banking regulatory 
board.  The Uzans are facing trial for their alleged 
embezzlement from Imar Bank.  Meanwhile, "Radikal" reports 
that two tons of gold and $200 million that Turkish 
authorities sought after the 2003 collapse of Imar Bank are 
now in Swiss banks.  Turkey and Switzerland are reportedly 
cooperating in a money laundering investigation against the 
Uzans. 
 
Professor McCarthy Addresses Turkish Parliament:  Aamerican 
historian Professor Justin McCarthy of Louisville University 
told the Turkish Parliament that what happened between the 
Armenians and Ottoman Turks in 1915 was war, not `genocide.' 
`Genocide' claims will be used to block Turkey's membership 
to the European Union, McCarthy stressed.  McCarthy advised 
Turkey to fund translations from Turkish into English and 
other European languages of historical records providing 
evidence that there was no genocide.  McCarthy questioned 
`why Turkey would want to join an organization that requires 
it to admit to a lie just to gain membership.' 
 
Dervis to Quit Politics if selected to Lead UNDP:  Former 
economy minister and CHP Istanbul lawmaker Kemal Dervis said 
yesterday that he will quit politics if he is chosen to lead 
the UN Development Program.  If he is selected, Dervis will 
go to New York for a four-year term to run the important UN 
agency. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Kyrgyzstan 
 
"Time for Change in Bishkek" 
Sami Kohen wrote in the mass appeal "Milliyet" (3/25): 
"Events in Bishkek yesterday very much resemble the `orange 
revolution' in Ukraine and the `velvet revolution' in 
Georgia.  Unlike Georgia and Ukraine, however, there is no 
leadership yet with the charisma and popularity necessary to 
motivate and lead the movement in Kyrgyzstan.  The success 
of the opposition movement and the ultimate defeat of 
President Akayev will require a more convincing leadership. 
Otherwise, Kyrgyzstan will suffer from a lack of stability. 
It is hard to predict the fate of the current opposition, 
because the situation is changing by the minute.  At this 
point, the best hope is that the winds of reform and 
democracy will not bring instability and unrest to 
Kyrgyzstan." 
 
"Russia is Helpless" 
Erdal Safak wrote in the mass appeal "Sabah" (3/25): "I am 
happy to note that the `good virus' of democracy has now 
reached as far as Kyrgyzstan.  Given the recent speech by 
President Bush in Bratislava, in which he said that freedom 
is like a magnet for all peoples, current developments in 
Bishkek are not surprising.  In fact, they should have been 
expected. . Russia seems to have taken a lesson from the 
case of Ukraine, and has remained cautious and silent 
regarding Kyrgyzstan.  So much so that Putin declined to 
meet with Akayev when he secretly visited Moscow on March 20 
in the hopes of getting more Russian support.  It remains to 
be seen whether Russia has really understood that the 
corrupt leaders of the former Soviet republics will not be 
supported by their people any longer.  It also remains 
unclear whether the Russians are planning some kind of 
retaliation.  The most likely next stops for the `democracy' 
virus will be Belarus and Armenia." 
 
"Will the Orange Revolution Be Successful in Kyrgyzstan?" 
Akif Emre observed in the Islamist-opinion maker "Yeni 
Safak" (3/25):  "Strategically speaking, Kyrgyzstan is 
located in a very sensitive and fragile region.  Because of 
its location, the country has a strategic military 
importance.  Sharing a border with China makes the country 
very important not only for the US, but for Russia as well. 
Therefore, Kyrgyzstan is the only country in the world that 
hosts both Russian and American military bases on its 
territory.  During the occupation of Afghanistan, the US 
military fully settled itself in the country.  Currently, 
both American and Russian military bases are actively 
operating in Kyrgyzstan.  Last year, Akayev announced that 
he was not going to run for the presidency again.  The White 
House responded immediately with a statement saying that the 
US was `pleased with Akayev's decision.'  However, Akayev 
tested his power during the last election, and the 
successful results encouraged Akayev to sit for this year's 
presidential elections.  The opposition's concern was under 
the rule of this government, the western support they were 
hoping for would never come.  Actually, Russia has already 
rejected the opposition's request for assistance.  I really 
think that these two countries (Russian and the US) cannot 
take the risk of chaos in Kyrgyzstan.  Furthermore, the 
opposition in that still hasn't articulated clearly what it 
really wants." 
 
DEUTSCH