US embassy cable - 05ANKARA1802

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 001802 
 
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, MARCH 29, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
FM Gul: Anti-US Syndrome in Turkey is Exaggerated - Hurriyet 
Bush Administration Declares Itself Champion of Human Rights 
- Milliyet 
Future with Armenians May Prove to Be `Hopeful': Poll - 
Milliyet 
Turkish Detainee's Mother Urges for Release of Son from 
Guantanamo - Sabah 
Knesset Approves Withdrawal Plan from Gaza, West Bank - 
Sabah 
Cost of Looting in Bishkek $100 Million - Milliyet 
Nightmare Hits Indian Ocean Again with 8.7 Earthquake - 
Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US Waiting for Nine Months for a Response on Incirlik 
Airbase - Cumhuriyet 
Kurdish Leaders Want a Significant Share from Iraqi Oil - 
Zaman 
Kurds, Shiites Agree to Tie Kirkuk to Baghdad - Yeni Safak 
Iraqi Interior Minister: Zarkawi Surrounded - Zaman 
Wolfowitz: World Bank Goals Will Spread Freedom, Democracy - 
Yeni Safak 
Armenia Attempts to Sell Missiles to Al-Qaeda - Yeni Safak 
Syria Withdraws 2,000 More Troops From Lebanon - Cumhuriyet 
Egyptian Opposition Says `Enough' to Mubarak - Radikal 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
FM Gul on Turkey/US, Incirlik, Anti-Semitism:  Foreign 
Minister Abdullah Gul told "Hurriyet" that there is no 
enmity toward the United States in Turkey, adding that 
reactions against the US have been much stronger in some 
other European countries.  Ongoing exaggerations in the 
country have created a psychological atmosphere, Gul said, 
and noted: `The two countries have mutual expectations, but 
we can settle them through dialogue.'  On Incirlik, Gul said 
the Turkish government would announce necessary decisions on 
US requests for using the airbase for logistical support 
operations.  No parliamentary decision is needed for such an 
approval, Gul stressed.  Responding to a question, Gul said 
Turks should not be drawn into the `storm' of nationalism 
and noted that the high sales of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" 
are an artificial development caused by chauvinists.  `There 
is no anti-Semitism in Turkey,' Gul stressed, adding that 
Turkey is a place where churches and synagogues are built 
near mosques. 
 
PM Erdogan Plans `Double' Visit to US:  Turkish Prime 
Minster Tayyip Erdogan will clarify the details of his June 
5-7 visit to the United States after hearing from the White 
House a date about a possible meeting with President Bush, 
says "Yeni Safak."  Erdogan will again visit US in September 
to lobby on Cyprus at the UN General Assembly meetings. 
Erdogan may meet with President Bush again during this 
second visit, according to the paper.  The paper expects the 
AKP government to send an official response to Washington in 
April regarding the use of Incirlik Airbase for logistical 
purposes.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has drafted a 
decree on the issue, in which the use of Incirlik for 
logistical operations is restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan, 
writes "Yeni Safak." 
US Declares Itself Champion of Human Rights: The Bush 
Administration has given itself high marks for the US 
contribution to the improvement of human rights and 
democracy in the world, says "Milliyet," referring to the US 
State Department report on `Supporting Human Rights and 
Democracy: The US Record 2004-2005.'  The paper says the 
report outlined U.S. activities with regard to human rights 
and democracy around the world, but did not mention those 
who have died under torture by American forces in Iraq, 
Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan.  The report claims the US 
has been effective in the expansion of religious freedom, 
prevention of torture, greater women's participation in 
political life and human trafficking in Turkey, says 
"Milliyet."  The US has pressed the Turkish government at 
the highest level for the reopening of the Halki Seminary, 
acknowledgement of the `Ecumenical' nature of the 
Patriarchate and ensuring the right of non-Turkish citizens 
to serve as clergy, "Milliyet" cites the US report. 
 
Turkish Government Plays Down Soaring Sales of "Mein Kampf": 
Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek said 
Monday that there is no racism in Turkey, in response to a 
question on the soaring sales of Adolf Hitler's book "Mein 
Kampf."  `We have never had such an attitude in our culture 
and history, and we do not have it now,' Cicek said at a 
press conference.  `We cannot allow prejudice against people 
for belonging to a certain race,' Cicek said: `Racism is a 
perversion of the mind.'  "Mein Kampf" has featured among 
the bestsellers in the past two months with some 200,000 
copies of paperback translations sold. 
 
US Still Waiting for a Turkish Decision on Incirlik:  Left- 
leaning/opinion maker "Cumhuriyet" says that US has been 
waiting for nine months for a response from Ankara with 
regard to the use of Incirlik as a logistical cargo hub for 
operations in the region.  On Monday, Government Spokesman 
Cemil Cicek signaled that the Turkish government will give a 
green light to the US demand, saying the issue may be 
discussed at the cabinet meeting next week, says 
"Cumhuriyet." 
 
Lawyer Says Turkish Detainee Should Be Released From 
Guantanamo:  The lawyer for Murat Kurnaz, the Turkish-German 
being held at Guantanamo Bay for alleged links to Al-Qaeda, 
said his client will be released if Turkish government 
intervenes, Turkish papers report.  The US government has 
determined that Kurnaz is not linked to Al-Qaeda or the 
Taliban and that he did not pose a terrorist threat to the 
United States, said lawyer Bahar Azmi to VOA Turkish Service 
on Monday.  Azmi noted that thus far no detainee has been 
released from Guantanamo without intercession by detainee's 
government with the US government. 
 
Turkey to Initial Protocol with EU this Week to Include 
Cyprus:  Ankara said on Monday it would initial the 
agreement extending its customs union with the European 
Union to new EU members, including Cyprus, through an 
exchange of letters this week.  Despite Nicosia's claims, 
Ankara noted that the protocol covered only the free 
movement of goods, and not services such as shipping, 
signaling that Turkish airports and ports would remain 
closed to the Greek Cypriots.  Both FM Abdullah Gul and 
government spokesman Cemil Cicek stressed that initialing 
the protocol would not signify Turkish recognition of the 
Greek Cypriot government.  `Recognition can be possible only 
after we have lasting peace on Cyprus,' Gul said.  Gul added 
that the protocol may not go into effect until July because 
the Turkish and European parliaments would have to ratify 
the agreement. 
 
Research in Turkey, Armenia Indicates Hope:  Turkish papers 
continue reporting about the outcome of a public opinion 
poll conducted jointly by Turkey's Economic and Social 
Studies Foundation (TESEV) and Armenia's Sociological and 
Marketing Research Center (HASA) in two countries.  50.9 
percent of Turks and 62.7 percent of Armenians want the 
border crossing between the two countries to be opened. 
Both peoples want diplomatic ties to be established between 
Ankara and Yerevan, Turks with 64.6 percent and Armenians 
with 87.7 percent.  54 percent of Turks and 60.1 percent of 
Armenians want economic ties improved without waiting for a 
solution of historical and political problems.  The 
psychological climate is ready for dialogue between Turkey 
and Armenia, but both sides believe in the need for 
establishing diplomatic relations first, according to the 
research. 
 
Resignations from Ruling, Opposition Parties:  On Monday, 
one lawmaker resigned from the ruling AK Party while five 
quit the main opposition CHP.  AKP defector Mirac Akdogan 
said the ruling party is quickly losing the legitimacy it 
gained through the Turkish nation's votes.  Resigned CHP 
lawmakers said they will join the Social Democratic Peoples 
Party (SHP), which will thus qualify for Treasury support 
for general elections.  Distribution of seats in the 
parliament is as follows:   AKP 360, CHP 163, DYP (True Path 
Party) 6, ANAP 5, HYP (People's Ascension Party) 1, and 
Independents 14.   One seat is vacant. 
 
Parliament to Discuss Changes to Penal Code:  The Turkish 
parliament will discuss today proposals for changes to the 
new penal code.  An AKP lawmaker said the government is open 
to the possibility of changing controversial clauses in the 
law regarding the media.  Recent changes to the penal code 
have drawn strong criticism from the domestic press and 
international media organizations for bringing heavy 
restrictions on freedom of speech and press. 
 
PM Erdogan to Tunisia, Morocco:  Accompanied by the 
ministers of trade and agriculture and by businessmen, PM 
Erdogan left for Tunisia and Morocco on Monday for a four- 
day visit. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Kyrgyzstan; US-Turkey Relations 
 
"Is This Spring Time For Kyrgyzstan?" 
Turgut Tarhanli wrote in the liberal-intellectual "Radikal" 
(3/29): "As Kyrgyzstan prepares for a new election process, 
it should take into account a recent report by the OSCE. 
The report was drafted after the February 27 elections, the 
root of the current situation, and highlighted 
irregularities and violations in the Kyrgyz electoral 
system. . Currently, anti-Akayev figures are debating over 
the future of the parliament.  Naturally, fresh elections 
are pronounced to be an immediate solution.  However, 
Kyrgyzstan will suffer even more instability unless the 
electoral system is revised before it is implemented. 
Kyrgyzstan happens to be a country to which every major 
international player pays utmost attention.  Given the 
circumstances, it is now very important to watch how strong 
the transitional administration will be and if it will be 
able to embrace the whole country." 
 
"Reform in Kyrgyzstan and Eurasia" 
Hasan Celal Guzel observed in the conservative-sensational 
"DB Tercuman" (3/29):  "The main problem in Kyrgyzstan is 
poverty and popular unrest.  Kyrgyzstan is the poorest 
country in this area and the unhappiest with its government 
among all the Turkic Republics.  Under these conditions, it 
was not possible for the Akayev administration to continue 
ruling any longer without the support of the US and the 
dollars of George Soros.  It seems that the activities of 
the US, Russia and China played a major role in this revolt. 
While, for the time being, it looks like the pro-US 
opposition groups are leading the revolution, the picture is 
not yet clear.  There is one fact, which is that the reform 
process in Eurasia is moving away from the Russian 
Federation and toward American interests." 
 
"Incirlik Airbase Again" 
Haluk Ulman wrote in the economic-politic "Dunya" (3/29): 
"Some might believe that opening up Incirlik airbase for 
extensive use by the US military is a useful way to bring 
new momentum to Turkish-American relations.  However, the 
Bush administration obviously plans to use this base for 
more than humanitarian relief purposes.  If Incirlik is made 
available for use by American forces, it will support 
current US policy toward the region, and that policy, as we 
know, is all about use of force.  This means that Incirlik 
will be used for both logistical and strategic purposes. 
Apparently the US has not yet found a better or safer 
location than Incirlik for its possible actions against 
Syria and Iran. . Under these circumstances, granting 
permission for the use of Incirlik will bring us some 
serious consequences.  Being dragged into a war is not in 
Turkey's interest.  More important, the US will eventually 
leave the region and Turkey will have to cope with growing 
animosity on the part of neighboring countries.  . Turkey is 
the country that has to stay and the US is the one that will 
leave.  Turkey should be able to view the issues objectively 
and avoid creating new bad feelings as far as its 
relationship with the Islamic and Arab worlds is concerned." 
 
EDELMAN