US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2028

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002028 
 
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 
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
A Kurdish President for Iraq - Milliyet 
From Peshmerge Chief to Iraq Presidency - Sabah 
Ankara Responds Positively to Election of Talabani - Vatan 
Kurds' `Uncle Jalal' Elected Iraqi President - Aksam 
Italy Takes Tight Security Measures for Papal Funeral - 
Sabah 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Talabani Iraq's New Leader - Cumhuriyet 
A Kurdish President in Baghdad - Radikal 
Talabani Issues Message of Unity - Zaman 
FM Gul: Talabani `An Experienced Politician' - Yeni Safak 
Bush Assigns Muslim Khalilzad as Iraq Ambassador - 
Cumhuriyet 
Thousands Protest Mubarak in Egypt - Yeni Safak 
US Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan: 16 Killed - Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Turkey Welcomes Talabani's Election as President of Iraq: 
Turkey welcomed the election of Jalal Talabani as Iraq's 
president on Wednesday.  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul 
congratulated Talabani, saying the former leader of the PUK 
is an `experienced politician who attaches importance to 
Iraq's territorial unity.'  `Relations between the two 
countries are indispensable,' Gul said during a visit to 
Dubai.  The FM voiced confidence that Iraq would now become 
more stable under a new, democratically elected government. 
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan characterized Talabani's 
election as `an expected decision,' and wished success to 
the new administration.  The PM said he expected the new 
Iraqi government to ensure that Kirkuk in northern Iraq did 
not fall into solely Kurdish hands.  President Sezer sent 
Talabani an official message of congratulations. 
 
Turkey Agrees to US Use of Incirlik Airbase as Logistics 
Hub:  State-controlled "Star" newspaper claimed that Turkey 
has agreed `in principle' to allow the US to use Incirlik 
Airbase as a logistics hub for operations in Iraq and 
Afghanistan.  An agreement determining the principles for 
using the airbase is based on UN resolution 1546, which 
calls on member countries to contribute to Iraq's political 
restructuring.  Since troops and weapons will not be allowed 
to transit through Incirlik Airbase, the agreement will not 
be taken to parliament for approval, "Star" reports.  The 
base will be used solely for logistical support for 
operations for Iraq and Afghanistan.  Cargo planes will be 
allowed to carry food, clothes, medicine and a limited 
number of personnel.  The equipment will be taken to the 
base from cargo vessels anchored in the port of Iskenderun. 
The US will inform Turkish authorities on the same day that 
logistical flights will take place, and `distribution' will 
be allowed only after an inspection of the cargo on each 
plane. 
 
Iraq's Neighbors Meeting to be Held in Turkey:  Turkey will 
host the foreign ministers of countries neighboring Iraq in 
Istanbul on April 18-19 if the new Iraqi government is in 
place by then, the Foreign Ministry (MFA) said on Wednesday. 
`The meeting will serve as an opportunity for Iraq's 
neighbors to confirm their support for democratization in 
the country,' the MFA said in a statement released Wednesday 
afternoon. 
 
Khatemi on Nuclear Program, Relations With US:  In an 
exclusive interview Thursday with Turkey's private news 
channel NTV in Paris, Iranian President Mohammed Khatemi 
defended his country's `legitimate right' to acquire nuclear 
energy for civilian purposes.  `The 2004 Paris agreements 
recognize our right to that end,' Khatemi said.  He added 
that if Europe remains free of US pressure, the nuclear 
talks will be concluded much more quickly.  Khatemi noted 
that Iran had suspended its uranium enrichment program on 
its own on the condition that Europe give guarantees for 
Iran's development and security.  The Iranian President 
regards the removal of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein 
regimes as `positive developments' if new administrations in 
those countries do not turn into authoritarian regimes. 
Khatemi also said that reforms in Iran will be carried out 
`through the internal dynamics of the country,' and that 
Iran's attitude toward the United States will be determined 
by US policies. 
 
Straw Calls for Partial Turkish Troop Withdrawal from 
Cyprus:  British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told the House 
of Commons on Wednesday that a partial pullback of Turkish 
troops from Cyprus would contribute to efforts for a 
settlement on the divided island, "Cumhuriyet" reports. 
Straw criticized the European Union for shelving a bill that 
would permit direct trade between EU countries and north 
Cyprus.  Straw added that although a Cyprus settlement is 
not a prerequisite for the EU to open entry talks with 
Turkey, a solution must be reached before Turkey gains 
membership to the bloc. 
 
Prime Minister to Open Lawsuit Against ANAP Leader:  Lawyers 
for Prime Minister Erdogan confirmed that the PM will open a 
100,000 YTL (approximately 75,000 USD) lawsuit against 
former Culture Minister Erkan Mumcu, who recently left AKP 
and was elected chairman of the center-right Motherland 
Party (ANAP).  The lawyers argue that Mumcu's claims in 
"Vatan" newspaper that the PM had bargained with CHP leader 
Deniz Baykal over the headscarf issue amounted to a 
`personal insult' to Erdogan.  The suit will demand 
compensation from Mumcu, "Vatan," and the reporter who 
interviewed the ANAP leader. 
 
Protesters Face Lynching Attempt in Trabzon:  Four 
university students were almost lynched when they were 
mistaken for PKK supporters in Trabzon, a port city in 
northern Turkey.  The four students were handing out 
leaflets calling for an end to death and torture in Turkish 
prisons when they came under the attack by an angry mob 
provoked by rumors that the protesters would hoist a Kurdish 
flag in Trabzon.  Police rescued the protesters and took 
them away in armored vehicles after they were badly beaten. 
Police did not disperse the group of 2,000 nationalists, 
which later marched on the governor's office and shouted 
slogans against the PKK. 
 
Opinion Poll on Turkey/US, EU, Armenia: According to a 
recent public opinion poll conducted by "Pollmark," 63.5 
percent of Turks want membership to the European Union while 
29.6 percent oppose it.  86 percent said their opinion of 
the United States has changed negatively following the Iraq 
war, and 81.5 percent have a negative view of President 
Bush.  However, 78 percent have positive feelings for 
American tourists visiting Turkey.  60 percent of those 
surveyed do not see themselves as anti-Armenian, and 58 
percent want claims of `genocide' to be discussed.  If 
general elections were held today, the distribution of votes 
would be as follows: AKP 33.7, CHP 10.3, MHP 6.9, DYP 6.6, 
DEHAP 4.5, and ANAP 3.2. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Iraq/Talabani 
 
"President Talabani" 
Zafer Atay opined in the economic-political "Dunya" (4/7): 
"There is speculation that Talabani has been supported by 
his rival, Mesud Barzani, to become the new president of 
Iraq because the position doesn't carry any real political 
power.  In fact, Shiite groups did not want to run for this 
position, which is largely symbolic.  The Shiites instead 
insisted on the Prime Minister position.  Under orders by 
Sistani, the radical Shiites will not be permitted to take 
part in the new administration.  Washington will support 
this moderate government.  Will all of this be good enough 
to stop the bloodshed in Iraq?  The Sunni insurgents 
connected to Al-Qaeda in Iraq are the biggest enemies of 
Talabani and the Shiites.  In their view, elected officials 
and even voters are considered collaborators with the enemy. 
Millions of other Iraqis who want to go back to their 
routine lives have been intimidated.  In short, both 
Talabani and the new government will have very little 
support outside the US military.  This situation will make 
things difficult for the new government.  Talabani is no 
longer the militant party leader.  We hope that `President 
Talabani' will act according to the responsibilities of his 
new position." 
 
"A Proper Election" 
Gungor Mengi commented in the mass appeal "Vatan" (4/7): 
"The pain suffered by the Kurds under the Saddam regime 
might have caused them not to trust anyone.  But there is a 
complete new future ahead of Iraq.  Will the religious and 
ethnic components of the state understand that living 
together in a regime with equal rights is an opportunity not 
to be missed for their own prosperity and security, as well 
as for regional peace?  I don't think a more effective and 
experienced politician than Talabani could have been found 
to explain this fact to Iraqis.  Who else could persuade the 
Kurds that there is no reason left to establish an 
independent Kurdish state?  Talabani's election is a great 
opportunity for protecting Iraq's territorial integrity.  It 
is obvious that Turkey is going to support this chance. 
Ankara should make its support clear not only in Baghdad, 
but in Washington as well.  Turkey should also try to 
accelerate the process." 
 
"President Talabani" 
Erdal Safak contended in the mass appeal "Sabah" (4/7): 
"Talabani's term in as president will last until the end of 
this year.  The period will be watched closely and with 
concern in Ankara.  Turkey has enough experience with 
Talabani to be suspicious about his trustworthiness and 
susceptibility to quick policy changes.  It remains to be 
seen whether he will work for an Iraqi federation or for 
some other goal.  Kirkuk continues to be an important issue 
to test Talabani's policy.  It will be interesting to see if 
he will focus on all elements in Iraq instead of just the 
Kurds and Kurdish rights.  . There are a number of reasons 
to be concerned about the future of Iraq at this point. 
Leaving aside local tensions, the general picture is also 
not very promising in that it resembles the situations in 
post-division Yugoslavia or the former Soviet republics. . 
We can only hope that Iraq will not have a future like those 
countries and can at least manages to become more like 
Lebanon." 
 
EDELMAN