US embassy cable - 05ANKARA2230

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002230 
 
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, APRIL 19, 2005 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
US, EU Happy With Talat's Election Victory in `TRNC' - Aksam 
Greek Cypriots Happy That Denktas Era Over - Milliyet 
Iraqi Shiite Alliance Demands Saddam's Execution - Sabah 
Israel Postpones Gaza Withdrawal to August - Sabah 
The Third Millennium's First Papal Election - Hurriyet 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
US Administration Congratulates Talat On Election Victory - 
Radikal 
Nicosia Cautious Over Talat Victory in `TRNC' Polls - 
Radikal 
No `Normalization' in Iraq - Yeni Safak 
Talabani: Shiite Militia, Peshmerge Can Break Resistance in 
Iraq - Zaman 
Khatemi Challenges US - Yeni Safak 
Russia-Georgia Talks on Bases Collapse - Zaman 
India, Pakistan Agree: Peace Process is `Irreversible' - 
Cumhuriyet 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Bulgaria, Romania Could Be `Alternates' to Incirlik Airbase: 
The US has started considering its restructured airbases in 
Romania and Bulgaria as alternates to Incirlik in the face 
of a delayed response by Turkey regarding the use of 
Incirlik as a logistical cargo hub, "Yeni Safak" reports. 
The US has not renewed its request, and US officials told 
MFA Undersecretary Ali Tuygan last week in Washington that 
it had `other options' for the proposed hub.  `Incirlik has 
never been of crucial strategic significance for us,' a high- 
level US official told "Yeni Safak," adding that Washington 
did not link the Armenian `genocide' bill or any other event 
to its request on Incirlik.  Tuygan did not give a clear 
answer on the US request, the paper reports. 
 
US Uses `Napalm Bomb' in Iraq:  The UK-based Iraq Analysis 
Group claimed in a report that the US military used MK-77, 
`an advanced napalm bomb,' during operations against Iraqi 
soldiers in Iraq, and against resistance fighters in 
Fallujah, "Cumhuriyet" and "Yeni Safak" report.  The reports 
claimed that the US military first denied, but later 
admitted, using napalm-like weapons, according to 
"Cumhuriyet." 
 
NSC Discusses Domestic Migration, Rising Nationalism, 
Cyprus:  Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned the National 
Security Council (NSC) that rising nationalism in Turkey 
must be brought under control, papers report.  In its 
monthly meeting on Monday, the NSC discussed the causes 
behind domestic population movements, and advised on ways to 
prevent continued migration to Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, 
Adana, Mersin, Antalya, and Diyarbakir provinces, which have 
already reached a `critical point.'  In a report submitted 
to the NSC, Secretary General Yigit Alpogan called on 
Turkish health and family institutions to step up family 
planning efforts in east and southeast Turkey.  The NSC 
meeting also assessed the outcome of the presidential 
election in the `TRNC,' and policies to be adopted on the 
Cyprus problem.  Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler briefed 
the NSC on the world energy situation, and warned of 
Turkey's `overdependence' on Russia for its natural gas 
supply. 
EU Concerned About Rising Nationalism in Turkey: 
Ambassadors of European Union (EU) countries expressed 
concern regarding the rise of nationalist sentiment in 
Turkey at a monthly meeting in Ankara on Monday, "Sabah" 
reports.  `We are stunned by the remarks of Prime Minister 
Erdogan blaming the EU for attempting to divide Turkey,' a 
senior EU source said.   `Erdogan has given us some clues 
about the inertia we see in the Turkish reform process,' the 
same source said.  `If Erdogan really believes that the EU 
wants to divide Turkey, then why is EU membership still the 
number oneagenda item for the Government?' he asked. 
Another European diplomat demanded an explanation from 
Erdogan, stressing that Turkey's EU entry would require a 
sharing of sovereignty.  He called on the Turkish prime 
minister to `adjust' his views to this reality. 
 
Gul, Molyviatis to Meet in Greece:  Foreign Minister 
Abdullah Gul is to meet with his Greek counterpart Petros 
Molyviatis at the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) 
meetings in Greece on April 23.  Gul is expected to raise 
the recent desecration of the Turkish flag at a Greek 
military academy, where Turkish War Academy students were 
staying as part of an exchange program.  Diplomatic sources 
told "Cumhuriyet" that Athens has expressed regret over the 
flag `provocation,' and pledged to punish the perpetrators. 
However, military sources said that Greece has not sent an 
official apology.  The Turkish government prefers not to 
escalate tensions with Athens, the report claims. 
 
Talat New `President' of `TRNC':  Mehmet Ali Talat, the 
winner of the presidential election in the `TRNC,' will be 
sworn into office on April 24.  Foreign Minister Abdullah 
Gul and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer congratulated Talat on 
his election victory.  Gul said that Turkey's priorities are 
the safeguarding of Turkish Cypriots' interests and a 
lasting peace on Cyprus.  Gul added that Turkey, a guarantor 
country, will continue to fulfill its duties mandated by 
international agreements.  State Department Deputy Spokesman 
Adam Ereli said `the United States welcomes this 
reaffirmation by the Turkish Cypriots of their commitment to 
a comprehensive solution and reunification of the island. 
We look forward to working with all interested parties to 
this end.' 
 
American Aid Worker Killed in Baghdad:  Marla Ruzicka, an 
American aid worker, was killed in Baghdad over the weekend 
when her vehicle was caught in a crossfire between 
insurgents and Iraqi security forces, "Aksam" reports. 
Ruzicka was working to get financial compensation for 
civilian casualties of the war.  She had worked in 
Afghanistan and Iraq to document the exact number of 
civilians killed or injured by US forces, and had helped 
victims receive compensation from the US government. 
 
US Expands No-Fly List:  "Cumhuriyet" cites "TIME" magazine 
as reporting that the US has expanded the `no-fly' list, 
which bans passengers who are potential terrorist threats 
from entering the United States.  The list now includes 
31,000 names, up from 19,000 last September.  The report 
claims that the expanded list is being implemented `despite 
frequent criticism of its reliability.' 
 
UNICEF's `Girls to School' Campaign:  The UN children's 
agency UNICEF announced that 113,000 Turkish girls began 
studying this year under the auspices of a UN program to 
keep kids in schools, "Radikal" reports.  UNICEF's goal next 
year is to enroll 250,000 girls. 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION: Turkish Foreign Policy, Cyprus 
"Europe is Dividing Turkey" 
Asli Aydintasbas observed in the mass appeal "Sabah" (4/19): 
"Turkey has always been carried away with the paranoia that 
`everyone is trying to divide us.'  Yet the worst may be yet 
to come: this argument is now being supported by other 
versions of paranoia, including those about minorities, 
missionaries, and foreigners buying property in Turkey. 
Even Prime Minister Erdogan has started talking about EU 
attempts to divide Turkey, and he made such remarks as the 
Prime Minister of a country that is about to start a 
negotiation process with the European Union.  . This growing 
anti-EU sentiment is a growing danger to Turkey's future. 
As we have seen in the case of Turkish-American relations, 
Turkish officials who make bold anti-American remarks to 
satisfy the public later are forced to deal with growing 
anti-Americanism.  Going through a similar experience with 
the EU is not going to help Turkey at all." 
 
"Conservative, Reformist or Fascist?" 
Cengiz Candar warned in the conservative-sensational "DB 
Tercuman" (4/19): "By reading PM Erdogan's recent comments 
about the EU intention to `divide Turkey,' we can only 
conclude that the Prime Minister now places himself in the 
same category as groups that are strongly opposed to the EU. 
. Turkey is in need of a political party that focuses on 
reform and globalization, as well as one that embraces the 
poor instead of engaging in cheap nationalism.  The AKP will 
survive only if it manages to accomplish this. . However, 
there are strong indications that the AKP is `misreading' 
the social circumstances in Turkey.  Turkish society is very 
dynamic.  It is conservative on the issue of moral values, 
but reformist when it comes to social, economic, and 
international policies.  But the AKP's interpretation of 
conservatism does not match reality. .  The AKP is on the 
wrong track, and needs to change its rhetoric immediately 
for the sake of both the AKP and Turkey." 
 
"Farewell to Denktas" 
Haluk Ulman wrote in political-economic "Dunya" (4/19): 
"Denktas used to be the name to blame for the lack of a 
settlement to the Cyprus issue.  It seems that those who 
held this view have now come to their senses, especially 
after the Greek Cypriots rejected the Annan Plan. 
Nevertheless, `the obstacle" is no longer in active 
politics.  On the other hand, Denktas is such a `man of 
struggle' that he will not keep silent even though he won't 
be in the leadership.  . Denktas leaves the Turkish Cypriots 
in a position to live in freedom and safety.  They are no 
longer a `minority group,' as the entire world used to refer 
to them.  These are some major achievements by Denktas.  He 
made some mistakes in domestic politics, but his leadership 
of the Turkish Cypriots will always be fondly remembered." 
 
EDELMAN